Rex at once put on his uniform, took his rifle, and joined the party who, behind some hastily–thrown–up barricades, were trying to keep down the Chinese fire. With that exception the day was comparatively quiet. All the Europeans not engaged in combating the Chinese fire were employed with the sailors and marines in erecting barricades, while the Russians held the outposts.
The next morning the Chinese opened fire with two field–guns posted on the railway embankment opposite to the British section. Commander Beattie, of the Barfleur, with three companies of sailors, was sent across the river to try to silence them; but the Chinese, sheltered behind the mud walls which intersected the ground in every direction, poured in so heavy a fire that the attempt had to be abandoned, Commander Beattie and three of his officers being wounded. A nine–pounder gun was then brought up to the river bank front under the command of Lieutenant Wright, of the Orlando. This opened fire upon the two Chinese guns, and maintained it so rapidly, and with such excellent aim, that the Chinese guns were withdrawn. Lieutenant Wright, however, was mortally wounded by a bursting shell.
Most of the Chinese guns were placed in the yamen fort, forty–five of them being in position there. There was also a battery of seven guns in the canal, two miles from the railway–station, a couple of guns within a thousand yards of it, and another couple behind the ruins of the Military College. Besides these there were several sand–bag batteries along the bank of the river between the French settlements and the native city, in the city wall, and in the arsenal. All these now opened fire, and from their different positions were able to cannonade the settlements from every direction.
The din was incessant, and many of the houses speedily became ruins. Unfortunately the besieged had but a few guns to meet it, having only seven twelve–pounder Russian guns of an obsolete pattern, a new fifteen–pounder, a Maxim, and a Nordenfeldt, which had just arrived, but which was of little use, as there were very few rounds of ammunition to fit it.
For a week the position was grave in the extreme; the defending force was constantly engaged, and the enemy swarmed round them; but though they made numerous demonstrations they never attempted anything like a determined attack. In one attack the enemy set fire to the buildings in fourteen places, burnt down the Roman Catholic cathedral and the greater portion of the French station, and nearly succeeded in capturing the railway–station, which was held by the Russians.
Day by day the situation became more serious. There had been no communication with the coast for nearly ten days; the enemy daily became more daring, and their attacks were repulsed with ever–increasing difficulty. Then one of the volunteers, Mr. Watts, offered to ride through the Chinese lines by night. He knew the country well, and believed he could get through; but the service was a desperate one. The Russian general gave him two Cossacks as an escort. These might be of use if he fell in with a very small party of the enemy; but as he could not speak their language they could be of little other service. His comrades gave him a hearty farewell when he left, never expecting to see him again. Nevertheless, almost by a miracle, he succeeded in getting through, and carrying news to the fleet that the position at Tientsin was becoming desperate, that they maintained themselves with the greatest difficulty, and that their ammunition was fast giving out.
No time was lost; two thousand men—British, Americans, and Russians—bringing with them two Russian batteries, each of six fifteen–pounder Krupps, were at once landed. The Russians were commanded by General Stössel, the Americans by Major Waller, and the naval brigade by Commander Craddock and Captain Mullins. The force also included four hundred Welsh Fusiliers under Major Morris, and a portion of the Chinese regiment from Wei–Hai–Wei under Lieutenant–Colonel Bowyer.
It was a terrible journey. The railway had been completely destroyed, the heat was overpowering, and the enemy, though they did not venture to make an open attack, kept up a constant fire upon them. Nevertheless they toiled on unflinchingly, and at last reached Tientsin, to the delight of the inhabitants, who now found themselves in a position to defy any attack.
Rex had been continually at one or another of the barricades. The fire from two guns concealed among some houses had been particularly galling and accurate, and Rex, with two of his comrades, had often talked over the possibility of silencing it. On the twenty–second Rex said: “Well, I mean to go out to–night and see if I cannot stop the fire of that gun. Are you two fellows disposed to go with me?”
“Certainly, if you think there is a shadow of a chance.”