Battle at Tsaitsun, July 24, 1 to 12 p.m.
Battle at Hoshiwu, July 25, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Battle at Auping, July 26, 6 to 9 p.m.
Chinese troops retired to Mat’ou on the 27th inst.
July 29. Reports from various sources, etc.: Foreign troops advance on the 26th from Auping toward Mat’ou, from 3 a.m. to 12 a.m., and were driven back to Auping by the Chinese at daylight on the 27th.
Foreign troops of three nationalities at Auping. Chinese ammunition short; southern rice boats in the hand of the foreign army. Russian troops are advancing toward Kalgan (from a man from Changpingchou, eighteen miles south of the Great Wall).
July 29 p.m. Reported Yangtsun completely destroyed by foreign troops two or three days ago, and foreign army in steady advance. The Empress Dowager desires Tung Fu Hsiang and Jung Lu to send her with an army to Hsianfu, the capital of Shansi. They do not consent, and suggest Li Ping Heng to help conquer us. He is ordered up, has arrived, and is now attacking the Peit’ang. During the night a strong barricade was built on the north bridge; two hundred Boxers took up a position on it and commenced firing.
July 30, 10 a.m. The Chinese army messenger left Changchiawan at 8 o’clock yesterday evening. He reports desultory fighting from 3 a.m. to 8 p.m. yesterday. Many Chinese were killed. The foreign army advanced to Mat’ou yesterday at 8 a.m. Chinese retreated on Changchiawan. They have about 10,000 men. Three cannon have been taken from the Chien Men to the front. Fighting at Peit’ang is continued by Boxers. The firing from the north bridge is by a company of two hundred Boxers having only thirteen rifles. The Empress has three hundred carts and Tung Fu Hsiang one hundred, ready to start west; the date is a secret. Tung’s fourth son, with five hundred men, has reached Lianghsiang on the way west. (This news was brought in by a soldier of Tung Fu Hsiang’s body-guard, who brings us regularly the report of the army messenger.)
Same date, 7:30 p.m. Yesterday morning Mr. Sugi sent two outside coolies to Tungchow to inquire in regard to the foreign army, etc. They returned this evening. They report that men in Tungchow affirm that the foreign army had fought the Chinese yesterday just south of Mat’ou. They also report having seen a man from Chiachiatuan (eight miles east of Tungchow) who says foreign troops have come to relieve the Catholics there, and are distant but a mile or so from the intrenchments, letters having already been exchanged.
The Peking gates, except the Chihua Men and the Pingtzu Men, are ready to be closed, with stone and sand-bags at their sides. Many Boxers have been killed at the Peit’ang; twelve regiments of General Ma’s troops are to go to Changchiawan.