The fortifying operations are being pushed forward vigorously under the excellent management of Mr. F. D. Gamewell. He is the one man competent to take charge of affairs here, as the British., although in their own legation, and knowing that the place was to be the last place of refuge, had not done a stroke of work toward fortifying it, and seemed to be as helpless as children.
PORTION OF CHINA’S GREAT WALL
Showing one of the towers or forts, which are built at intervals throughout its entire length.
June 24. At ten minutes past midnight the Chinese began a furious fusillade from all quarters, and an alarm was rung from the bell-tower, notifying all of a general attack. But after about twenty minutes of prodigious noise, with almost no damage done, the firing ceased as suddenly as it had commenced, and the rest of the night was comparatively quiet. About 10 a.m. a fire was started outside and adjoining the south stables, which, after heroic exertions upon the part of nearly the entire garrison of men, women, and coolies, all of whom formed into line and passed hundreds of buckets of water from the two nearest wells to the scene of the fire, was subdued without our stables catching fire. With every one of these fires that was successfully put out, the danger from that source was lessened.
The German and American marines took possession of the city wall south of their respective legations, to prevent the Chinese from bringing their heavy guns too near and too directly able to bear upon the legations. Thrice they were driven back by the heavy fire, but they stuck to their task, and eventually obtained each a position on the wall—the Germans to the east, the Americans to the west, the two positions being about six hundred yards apart.
The second time they advanced, the Americans took the Colt machine gun with them, and, advancing almost to the Chinese barricade, killed several hundred Chinese. The third time, the Americans advanced several hundred yards and then retreated suddenly, as though panic-stricken. This brought the Chinese out from behind their barricades with a rush, when the Colt gun was again turned loose on them and killed sixty more.
After this the shelling got so hot that the position became absolutely untenable. A piece of shell struck the shoulder-piece of the Colt gun, and another shell, striking the wall, knocked down the bricks so thickly around the gun that Mitchell, the gunner, thought he might have to abandon it; but, hastily taking it apart, he managed to get it down the ramp, and brought it safely into the British legation.
The German officers claimed to have seen rockets to the southwest, which they thought to be signals from the relief force. Heavy cannonading was also heard, about 4 p.m., outside the city, which was thought to come from the troops, but both proved false hopes.