Robert Coltman - Beleaguered in Pekin

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BELEAGUERED IN PEKING

THE BOXERS WAR AGAINST THE FOREIGNER

BY

ROBERT COLTMAN, Jr. , M.D.

Professor of Surgery in Imperial University; Professor of Anatomy, the Imperial Tung Wen Kuan; Surgeon, Imperial Maritime Customs; Surgeon, Imperial Chinese Railways. Author of The Chinese, Their Present and Future: Medical, Political, and Social.

Illustrated with Seventy-seven Photo-Engravings

PHILADELPHIA:

F. A. DAVIS COMPANY, PUBLISHERS 1901

Copyright , 1901

By F. A. DAVIS COMPANY

Mount Pleasant Printery J. Horace McFarland Company Harrisburg Pennsylvania

---

PREFACE

IN THE following pages I have endeavored to give an accurate and comprehensive account of the Siege in Peking and of the Boxer movement that led up to it.

Authentic details furnished by representatives of those legations whose work has been specially mentioned have made possible a greater detail in those cases. I regret that others who had promised me accounts of their work have failed to furnish the promised material.

The siege at Pei Tang or North Cathedral, coincident with that of the legations and civilians, is not described for the reason that we were absolutely cut off from them for over sixty days and knew nothing of their movements. Much detail that might be interesting to many I have been obliged to omit, as it would make the book too cumbersome.

I make no claim for the book as a literary effort, the object being to state the facts in the clearest manner possible. The illustrations are from actual photographs, the authenticity of which is absolutely proved, and these carefully studied, add much to the information of the volume.

To my sixteen-year-old son, the youngest soldier to shoulder a rifle during the siege, I am indebted for much of the diary and great help in copying. A considerable portion of the book was written with bullets whistling about us as we sat in the students library building of the English legation.

There are several men whose work entitles them to decorations from all the countries represented in the siege, and their names will be indelibly written in our memories even if the powers and ministers concerned overlook them. I refer to F. A. Gamewell, August Chamot, Colonel Shiba, and Herbert G. Squiers.

ROBERT COLTMAN, Jr. , M.D.

Peking, China , September 10, 1900.

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CONTENTS

CHAPTER	PAGE
I.	Riot at Marco Polo BridgeMen Wounded by Captain NorregaardDr. Coltman Accompanies Governor Hu as Special Commissioner to InvestigateAnti-Foreign Feeling Expressed by Generals of Tung Fus ArmyA Bargain with Prince Tuan
II.	Yu Hsien Appointed Governor of Shantung, Removed by British Demands, Only to be RewardedYuanshih Kai Succeeds HimCauses of Hatred of Converts by People and BoxersThe Boxers and Their TenetsThe Empress Consults Astrologers
III.	Cables to America Describing Growth of Boxer Movement from January to June, 1900
IV.	Diary of the Author from June 1 to June 20
V.	Diaries of the Author and His Son from June 20 to End of Siege
VI.	Reflections, Incidents, and Memoranda Written During Siege
VII.	Work During Siege Done by RussiansWork by Americans
VIII.	Work Done by Staff of Imperial Maritime, Customs, and British Legation Staff
IX.	Work Done by AustroHungariansMr. and Mrs. Chamot
X.	Edicts Issued by the Empress During Siege, with a Few Comments Thereon
XI.	Now What?

---

Beleaguered in Peking

CHAPTER I

RIOT AT MARCO POLO BRIDGEMEN WOUNDED BY CAPTAIN NORREGAARDDR. COLTMAN ACCOMPANIES GOVERNOR HU AS SPECIAL COMMISSIONER TO INVESTIGATEANTI-FOREIGN FEELING EXPRESSED BY GENERALS OF TUNG FUS ARMYA BARGAIN WITH PRINCE TUAN.

The author in Chinese dress

IN THE autumn of 1898, in the month of October, very shortly after the famous coup dtat of the Empress Dowager of China, an event occurred which may have been the influence that shaped after-events, or it may be that this occurrence was but the premature explosion of a mine being prepared by the Empress and her evil advisers, intended to shake the civilized world at a later date. I refer to the riot at Lukouchiao, known to the English-speaking world as Marco Polo bridge, from its having been accurately described by that early traveler. This place had curiously enough been chosen as the northern terminus of the Hangkow-Peking railway, although ten miles west of Peking, and the road consequently is generally known as the Lu Han railway.

The political history of the struggle between the Russian, French and British diplomats in Peking, with reference to obtaining the concession for, and the financing of, this road, is very interesting, and would fill a book of its own; but there is no reason why it should enter into this narrative more than to state that finally the Belgians, acting for Russia and France, obtained the concession to build and finance this greatest trunk line of China.

To connect this line with the existing Peking-Tientsin railway, a short track was laid from Fengtai, the second station south of Peking, to Lukouchiao, and a fine iron bridge built over the Hum Ho or Muddy river, a few hundred yards west of the original stone Marco Polo bridge. This short connecting line is but three miles in length, and is the property of the Peking-Tientsin railway.

With this prelude, allow me to proceed with the event with which I was somewhat closely identified, and am able to speak of with knowledge and accuracy.

MARBLE BRIDGE LEADING TO FORBIDDEN CITY

A beautiful bridge, which would be a credit to any city. Marco Polo, the great traveler, nearly a thousand years ago described a similar bridge, thus showing how old is Chinese civilization compared with our own.

On October 23 I was called to Fengtai to amputate the leg of a poor coolie, who had been run over by the express train from Tientsin; and after the operation partook of tiffin at the residence of A. G. Cox, resident engineer of the Peking section of the Peking-Tientsin railway. His other guests were Major Radcliffe, of the Indian army service, on what is known as language-leave in China, and C. W. Campbell, official interpreter of the British legation.

During the meal the newly completed iron bridge was spoken of by Mr. Cox, and we were all invited to accompany him after tiffin on a trolley to inspect the bridge. This I was unable to do, as a professional engagement in Peking in the afternoon at four oclock prevented.

The next morning I received the following telegram, which should have been delivered the night before; but owing to the closing of the city gates no attempt was made to deliver it:

Coltman , Peking:Come to Fengtai at once. Cox and Norregaard both seriously wounded in riot at Lukouchiao.

Knowles.

I immediately rode in my cart to Machiapu, the Peking terminus of the Peking-Tientsin railway, and wired down to Fengtai for an engine to come and take me down.

In an hours time I reached Fengtai, and went at once to the residence of Mr. Cox, to find both himself and Captain Norregaard, the resident engineer and builder of the bridge at Lukouchiao, with bandages about their heads, and a general appearance of having been roughly used. Their story of the riot was told me while I removed the dressings, applied by my assistant, a native medical student of the railway hospital at Fengtai, the day before.

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