Siege at Peking

With the Imperial government “backing” the Boxers they moved across the countryside toward Peking, “They destroyed railways, telegraph lines, collieries [coal mines] and machine shops, as well as chapels and schools.” They destroyed any foreign article they could find. The Boxers searched Chinese officials fleeing from the capital for foreign articles in their possession. If any were found they were destroyed. In May of 1900, an increasingly large number of anti-foreign officials were being promoted within the court. Wang, a Civil Service Investigator who was known for his pro-Boxer sentiment was raised two grades and became the Governor of Peking. A rising number of Boxers were seen in and around Peking performing their martial rituals. Fearing the worst, foreign diplomats stationed in Peking demanded permission to garrison a troop base in the Legation Quarter but the Chinese continually denied the request. After the destruction of the nearby railway to Paoting Fu guards were sent for off the coast where a multinational fleet had assembled. About four hundred troops arrived from the coast to protect the Legation Quarter. Britain, France, and Russia all sent seventy-five troops a piece and the rest of the force made up of fifty Americans, forty Italians, and twenty-five Japanese. The troops arrived only a day before all communication with the sea-coast was cut off. During the night of the 31st the troops from the coast arrived at Ma Chaia P’u and walked to the Legations in the dark, thereby avoiding a dangerous public outcry because of the military presence. The occupation settled fears and pacified the citizens for the time being in Peking.

While there was a lull in Peking, the surrounding countryside was engulfed in chaos....

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...versity of Western Australia Press, 1970), 32.

Smith, 1:190.

Martin, Siege at Peking, 75.

“Three Primary Causes of the Boxer Uprising,” The Advocate of Peace 63, no. 5 (May 1901): 103.

Giles, 45.

Giles, 54.

Martin, Siege at Peking, 72.

TREATY PORTS

Fleming, 70.

Preston, 66.

Giles, 65-66.

Giles, 62-63.

Giles, 66.

Fleming, 92.

Fleming, 93.

Allen, 85.

Fleming, 94.

Fleming, 94-95.

Preston, 10-11. See figure 1.1 and 1.2

Fleming, 17.

Fleming 79-80.

Fleming, 82-83.

Smith, 1:254-255.

Giles, 86.

Michael J. Miller, “Rescue the Legations—Boxer Rebellion,” Leatherneck 83, no. 7 (July 2000): 41-42.

Fleming, 78.

Miller, “Rescue the Legations—Boxer Rebellion,” 42.

Miller, “Rescue the Legations—Boxer Rebellion,” 43.

Preston, 100.

Fleming, 89.

Miller, “Rescue the Legations—Boxer Rebellion,” 47.