CHAPTER XXI
CHARGING UPON THE NATIVE QUARTER
"We are out for a fight to-day, lieutenant, and a hot one, if I know anything about it."
It was Captain Banner who spoke, on the day following Gilbert's visit to the Bartletts. The young lieutenant had succeeded in getting a guard of one for the tea warehouse, but had been unable to learn anything concerning the boats on the Pei-Ho. Troops were coming in rapidly; and shipping arrangements were, consequently, much confused.
"All right. I am ready for the biggest engagement of the campaign," laughed Gilbert.
"An' dot vos me," put in Carl Stummer. "I ton't vont to got rusty on dot bicket line no more."
The whole company were hard at work cleaning up their uniforms and weapons, for the outward movement was to begin promptly at noon. Soldiers were everywhere in evidence. The Russians and Germans were encamped between the Chinese city and the river; while on the opposite side of the native quarter were the French, English, Japanese, and American, in the order named.
The opening movement was made by the Russians, and some Germans, who swung to the northward to take the river forts and prevent, if possible, any Celestial troops from coming across the Pei-Ho to re-enforce those in the native city.
In the mean time the Japanese commander, General Fukushina, started for the moat before the great south gate of the inner city. All the cannon in that vicinity were to clear the way for the Japanese, who were then to rush in, and blow up the gate with dynamite, so that the allied infantry might enter.
The various movements were well planned, but hard to execute; for all the Allies communicated with each other only with the greatest difficulty. The Russians reached the first forts with ease; but then the fire of the other forts was turned upon them, also a fire from across the Pei-Ho, and they lost heavily.
Meanwhile the British and Japanese cannon-fire was directed toward the great south gate; and the Japanese rushed forward, followed by the English troops, with the American marines on the extreme left. The Ninth United States Infantry were ordered to get in further down the road, which meant in an open space not far from the mud wall.
As the Allies neared the south gate, they found that the bridge had been destroyed, and the fields flooded with water. On they went, however, through' the liquid mud, almost up to the great gate. But the aim of the Chinese was deadly, and scores of soldiers dropped in a very few minutes. The Allies could not keep the ground they had gained, and fell back to the intrenchments which had first given them shelter.
The sun was blazing down hotly; and, when that first rush was over, Gilbert was almost ready to drop with exhaustion. But there was no rest for anybody, for the various commanders realized that it was "now or never"; for, if the native city was not taken, the Chinese troops on the western plain would pour in on them, and they would be cut off from all help.
Colonel Liscum of the Ninth United States Infantry was everywhere along the line, cheering and encouraging his men. "We must win out," he is reported to have said. "They cannot stand up against us much longer."
The ground was very uncertain, and the whistling of the bullets incessant. The Americans were still in full view of the enemy, and men were dropping on every side. Some distance from the mud wall were a number of native houses; and from these came a galling cross-fire, which presently laid the color-bearer low.
"The flag is down!" was the cry from several throats; but, in a moment. Colonel Liscum ran forward and picked it up. Flag in hand, he started to look for a suitable ford over the canal which ran through the marshland.
"Better get down, or they'll hit you!" shouted one of the under ofiicers.
"I guess not," was the brave colonel's answer; and at that instant a Chinese bullet struck him in the abdomen.
"Are you hit?" asked an officer, who saw him stagger back.
"I've got it," was the feeble reply; and then Colonel Liscum fell, to rise no more. A score of soldiers rushed to his aid. But nothing could be done for the sufferer; and with these words, "Don't retreat, boys. Keep on firing," he breathed his last.
Several other officers were also shot down and many wounded, while the dead privates lay everywhere. Yet the battle waged on, until the men became almost too tired to move. All were thirsting for something to drink; but the only water at hand was that of the marshes, salty and filled with the corpses of the slain. The doctors could not attend to the wounded, for they were shot as soon as they exposed themselves.
"This is certainly the worst yet," was Gilbert's comment to Captain Banner. The young lieutenant was soaked to the skin, both with water and with perspiration; and his face was covered with the grime of battle. He had been in two advances, and there were bullet-holes through his coat-sleeve and his leggins. "I never saw anything like it in the Philippines."
"Keep down," cried the captain. "We can't afford to lose any more officers. Bruff is dead, over yonder." And he pointed to a stretch of grass where the second lieutenant lay, with wide-open eyes, staring up at the blazing sky. Poor Bruff had been killed in the first advance.
Slowly the afternoon wore away. The air was heavy with smoke, yet the battalion to which Gilbert was attached did not dare to shift its position for fear of being cut to pieces. In the mean time the Japanese had made a great breach in the south wall of the native city, and were pouring in, unbeknown to any of the other commands.
"We are hemmed in," said Captain Banner. "Unless we get out under cover of night, it will go hard with us."
Gilbert did not answer, for he was tying up a flesh wound in Dan Casey's arm. The brave Irishman was suffering intense pain, and the young lieutenant pitied him from the bottom of his heart.
As the afternoon wore on, the fire of the Chinese became hotter; for they feared a night attack, and wished to make the Allies retreat before that time should come. The native city was on fire in half a dozen places, and inside it was as if pandemonium had broken loose.
At last night settled down, and then Gilbert's battalion began slowly to shift its position. The loss of Colonel Liscum had cast a gloom over all the Americans. He had been a sturdy fighter, and beloved by all who knew him.
The situation was reported to General Dorward, and an effort was made to combine the American forces and those fighting under the Union Jack. By midnight this juncture was made; and then Americans, English, French, and Germans pressed for the great south gate, and, following the Japanese, entered the native city at four o'clock in the morning of July 14, 1900. This was the first substantial victory for the American, in conjunction with other flags, on Chinese soil.
On entering the native town, a scene was presented which baffles description. The shots and shells from the Allies had done frightful execution; and dead Chinese lay at every hand, in some places two and three deep. Houses were smashed to kindling wood, and the very streets showed holes four and five feet deep. In one place a powder magazine had gone up, leaving nothing behind it but a burnt and blackened space with a fringe of battered buildings and dismembered human victims.
The sights made Gilbert sick at heart; and he was glad enough to go back to the wall with his command and stand such guard as was necessary, which was not saying much, since all of the Chinese were fleeing for their lives. I have said all. That is not so, strictly speaking; for some few remained, proclaiming themselves Christians and friends, while a considerable number of others committed suicide. To commit suicide in the Chinese army is not uncommon. For the Celestial soldier believes that, if he is captured, he will be subjected to some awful torture; and he, consequently, much prefers to end his own life.
With one-half of Company A, Gilbert found himself the next day half a mile from the great south gate, where the American flag was flying at half-mast, out of respect for the dead colonel of the Ninth Infantry. Gilbert's duty was to keep watch over several squares of the city, for the looters were now out in force. Close at hand was a Chinese joss house, filled with idols of iron, silver, and gold. Over this an elderly Buddhist priest was presiding, fearful that some of the soldiers would carry off the idols. Those of the war god of the Chinese were already missing, the Celestial troops having carried them off themselves.
Gilbert was eating his dinner when there came to him a message from the Buddhist priest, asking him to come to the joss house at once, and alone.
"What does the priest want of me?" asked the young lieutenant, curiously.
"He wants advice," was the slow answer. "He is much troubled, and wishes advice in secret."
Thinking he would be safe with a man of such standing as a Buddhist priest, Gilbert agreed to accompany the messenger, who at once led the way to a lane behind the joss house. At the foot of the lane was a small iron door entering into the house of worship. This was ajar, and inside of an entry Gilbert saw some joss sticks burning over a round table set with a platter of meat and another of rice.
"You will go inside, and the good Li Gow will speedily join you," said the messenger, and pointed the way. With some hesitation, Gilbert pushed back the iron door, and entered the apartment where the joss sticks were blazing.
On the instant the door was banged shut and bolted from the outside. The sudden rush of air caused the joss sticks to go out, leaving the young lieutenant in utter darkness. A shrill, mocking laugh reached his ears; and then all became as silent as a tomb.