1901.] With the Allies in China. 675 



And here, with the rough roads, began the first and serious 

 troubles arising from hastily made transport arrangements. The 

 heavily laden carts sank deep into the road ; the teams of Chinese 

 mules, unaccustomed to foreign drivers, stampeded, kicked, and 

 smashed harness and carriages, and a considerable amount of strong 

 language, in many different tongues, was consequently used on all 

 sides. 



Acting on the information collected by the Bengal Lancers, the 

 British and Americans led the advance, marching about ten miles 

 before coming in touch with the enemy. 



The Cossack cavalry discovered the enemy commanding a strong 

 wedge-shaped position formed by the railway embankment and the 

 river, and intersected by a road. The Chinese left flank was pro- 

 tected by three guns near a building, and four hundred cavalry some 

 distance beyond the railway embankment. There were also five guns 

 to the north. Five more stood further back on the opposite bank of 

 the river, directly across the iron railway bridge ; and three others 

 on the south side of the railway. 



The railway embankment, being very high, and provided with a 

 long platform near the station, furnished a commanding position, with 

 most excellent protection. 



On the side of the Allies the line of battle was formed as 

 follows : — 



On the left, along the river, were the Bussian infantry and 

 artillery (4 guns). Next to them, on the south, and to the right, 

 came the British Boyal Artillery, the 1st Sikhs, supported by the 

 14th United States Infantry on their right on the west side of the 

 track, and the 9th Infantry, supported by marines. Beilly's battery, 

 six guns, and the Bengal Lancers, were on the east side. The 

 Tskamoto Japanese Brigade was held in reserve, and occupied the 

 extreme right of the advance ; while more Bussians, with the 7th 

 Bengal Infantry to their left, were near the Hsiao-chieh houses, and 

 the French infantry behind them. 



At about 1500 yards the line began to deploy with no very great 

 opposition. There was fair cover from trees, undulations in the 

 ground, and stray houses ; but when only at nine hundred yards the 

 advance became very slow, and was made under a terrific fire with no 

 cover at all. 



As can be seen by a glance at the map, the wedge formed by the 

 embankment of the road and that of the railway becomes gradually 

 narrower, and eventually forms a point at its northern portion. It 

 was at this point that the 1st Sikhs and the 24th Punjab Infantry 

 were forced forward in close formation, with K and M Companies of 

 the 14th United States Infantry by their side. 



The 1st Sikhs advanced well until they found themselves in the 

 narrow depression shown in the photograph, where they got penned 

 in and were exposed to very heavy fire. They held fast to their 

 position, while the Americans came along in skirmishing order. 



2 t 2 



