Show I I TRUSTED TO LUCK I Allied Generals Took Great Chnnccs I in Transport Service Peking Aug II by post via Tien Tsln One t disadvantage that the Americans had during tho hard march to the relief of Peking was that their transportation wagon were late In arriving ar-riving The Ninth Infantry possessed the only outfit which reached Tien Tslnup to the time of starling The supplies were divided among the amont soldiers of the Ninth and the Fourteenth II teenth Infantry regiments and the hatter hat-ter The Americans with haversacks I blankets and tent rolls started under the heaviest loads but they soon fltilppcd to fighting trim preferring to forage their blankets rather than to sweat under them During the last two nights of the march they slept tired and worn out In the rain without with-out shelter or cover One night the wagon train lost the road and passed the American camp The drivers plodded along four sIn s-In the darkness and rain They might have driven into the Chinese camp I I but fortunately the Russians stopped them just In time The Americans often bivouacked supperlesa and brcakfastless and toward the end the officers kept anc men at work only by appealing to their national pride Dont let the Brlt Ishcrc beat you Dont let the Russians get ahead they urged constantly The army transport when It reached Peking wan an unique spectacle Miles of animals vehicles and coolies trailed behind Everything on wheels from farm wagons to fashionable traps was impressed and every horse mule and Chinaman in the path was com mandercd Time Japanese had cows bearing packs and the Russians had camels Chinamen pulled the carts and I staggered under heavy packs the soldiers cursing and beating them I Several dropped dead Two hundred red Junks and scows bearing munitions weiC towed up the river by coolies Had the Chinese taken the offensive most of the transportation might easily have been captured and cut to pieces by small flanking parties After It I was apparent that the enemy was demoralized tho Generals trusted the transport to luck and bent their efforts toward letting ahead 1 Only such an emergency as existed could have Justified Such hardships as were imposed upon the troops I |