The Allied units started onto the field shortly after 9 of the clock on that late July morning. Surprisingly, the Russians led the way, moving up rapidly on the right. The 1st Platoon, under Lt. Apostolovski took some longrange fire from the few Boxer riflemen behind the barricade of Huan-Su. A couple of men were wounded, but the small column pushed on. The lieutenant wanted to close the distance before deploying his men into an open order line. He also wanted to make sure that he had support. A brief glance over his right shoulder revealed that the gun was coming up, albeit slowly. Two hundred yards further on, he could make out the column of 2nd platoon.
A sudden and loud report snapped his attention back to the front. He noticed that his sergeant hunched his shoulders momentarily, as if expecting to be hit by something; as if expecting to be thrown to the ground. Fortunately for the Russian Sailors, the Chinese were concentrating long-range artillery fire on the troop of Bengal Lancers. For the Lancers, unfortunately, the first salvo by the Chinese proved lucky or represented a degree of skill in the crew. Four troopers and two horse were felled by the exploding shell. In the blink of an eye, the front of the troop column - a third of the troop strength - was enveloped in black smoke and noise. The troop commander escaped injury, but quickly directed his remaining horsemen off the road and out of direct line of sight and fire of the Chinese gun in the redoubt fronting Huan-Su.
The Chinese piece quickly found another target, as the English infantry were advancing in column just left of the improved road. (One platoon between the road and the rail line, the other, to the left of the rail line.) The Chinese quickly found an accurate range too, sending another four men to the ground, either killed or wounded. In the opening minutes of the contest then, the Chinese had meted out a degree of punishment. However, as with the Russian NCO, the British lads hunched their shoulders slightly, adjusted their arms, and carried on with the task at hand.
The U.S. Marines and Germans, both contingents to the left of the British, were just coming on the field when they heard the firing. In contrast to the column formations used by everyone else, the Marines and Germans were in line formation. Each platoon had a front rank of ten men with another ten in close support. Each platoon had an officer in front and an NCO in the rear rank. And so it was, that while leading his few men forward, Lt. Collins became the first American casualty of the day. The Boxers lining the right-front of the HuanSu defenses were firing wildly; mostly short. Dirt and earth were "kicked up" as the Boxer riflemen attempted to find the range. The bullet knocked Lt. Collins down, much to the dismay of his men, but it was a through and through wound to his upper arm. Lieutenant Collins swore mightily but accepted the helping hands of two enlisted men. A quick wrapping of a bandage and the shifting of his revolver to his other hand, and he was back into action.
Back over on the right flank of the action, the Russian 1st Platoon had formed into line and was preparing to advance against the hasty barricade. Sgt. Draznic thought to himself that it would have been prudent to send a few rounds from their artillery into the works first and then make an advance. However, the veteran of 15 years service knew better than to second-guess or even question his commanding officer.
Once the men were in line, Lt. Apostolovski gave the command to fire. Two sharp volleys followed and then the advance resumed. Though they were firing into works and the Boxers were taking advantage of that cover, the Russians did score some hits. Three Boxers fell. Two crumpled, clutching at their stomach or shoulder. The third was pitched on to his back and lay still. For this young man, the day was over.
The British followed suit, and by their fire, wounded several more Boxers in the defensive line. However, the single cannon in the redoubt found the range again. In a flash, there were four more infantrymen on the ground from 1st Platoon. Down to 3/5 his original strength, Lt. Smithers ordered Sergeant Campbell to have the men keep their interval and push on.
Here They Come
"Here they come!" shouted a couple of French Marines standing guard on the southeast wall. The warning was repeated less than a minute later by the Italians at the opposite corner. (It would have been nice, for narrative effect, to have typed this in French, but it's been quite some time since my high school course of study of this Romance language.)
Three groups of Boxers started to advance on the garrison of Taipeng Mission.
Boxer artillery, to the west of the Mission wall and barricade, opened fire in preparation for the attack, The shell fell just short, but shrapnel wounded one Sailor and one Marine. The garrison piece replied in kind, but directed its fire against the advancing Boxers and not against the Chinese cannon. With a veritable mob as a target, the French crewmen would have to try very hard to miss. In an instant, four Chinese were thrown to the earth. They would play no further part in the battle.
Rifle fire poured from the southeast perimeter of the Mission wall. Here, the Boxers took a few hits as well. All of these men were wounded, however. Return fire was ineffectual, even though the Boxers on the slight ridge had the advantage of height. The Marines took full advantage of what cover the wall and the makeshift barricade provided.
The Boxers closed with alarming speed on three comers of the Mission. The Italians were soon hotly engaged with fierce Boxers in and around the cemetery. The French found themselves pressed on the south and east comers. Canister from the light gun brought down several more Chinese, but the flame and fire did not stop their progress toward the wall. (Canister is not a type of fire available in The Sward and The Flame Rules nor in the variant for The Boxer Rebellion. The effect of fire is based on a combination of range to target, the formation of the target and on the number of crewmen available for the piece.)
Additional casualties from the fire of the Marines did not stop the Boxers attacking the French posts, either. In fact, incited by their leader and by the noise of battle, the hiding unit of Tigermen chose this point to come out from around the medium-size wood standing northeast of the Mission. The Marines then, found themselves facing three units of Chinese - an uncomfortable and unenviable ratio of 3 to 1.
Independent fire did little to stem this tide of screaming irregulars and fanatics dressed in red. Three sailors fell wounded amongst the headstones and small monuments of the cemetery. The Boxers following up their "brothers" ignored these fallen "foreign devils" and pressed on into the compound. Showing some foresight, Lt. Corelli had kept a squad of six men in reserve. These men poured a blistering fire into the disordered Chinese and then set upon them with rifle butt and bayonet. Lt. Corelli was in the thick of it too; in no time, his pistol was emptied. The reserve squad restored order to the Italian position and ejected the Boxers from the cemetery. However, the cost was three more men (two dead and one wounded).
The French took twice that amount in dead and wounded, grappling with the Boxers and Tigermen on the opposite wall. At one point, Boxers were able to get over and through the makeshift barricade. The melee swirled around the gun and near the courtyard of the church. At another point, Tigermen breached the defense and were in amongst the Marines. Firing at extremely close range, often from the hip, and lunging with the bayonet, the French Marines were finally able to repulse the Chinese. Some 15 Boxers or Tigermen (including the leader of one unit) were splayed around the Mission - just outside the wall, over the wall, or inside the perimeter.
What respite there was when the Boxers withdrew to lick their wounds and reinspire their men was shortlived. The fear of hitting their own men removed, the Chinese opened fire again with artillery. With the garrison weakened, the platoon of Imperial Infantry began to advance toward the Italian section of the wall and cemetery. On the other side of the Mission, Lt. Trudeau was shaking slightly from the effects of post-combat adrenaline. He retained enough sense however, to council his remaining troops to redistribute ammunition, remove the more seriously wounded to safety and stay under cover, as the sniping fire from the Boxers on the ridge increased. He sent a runner to obtain a status report from his Italian counterpart. As he reloaded his sidearm, the Lieutenant wondered about the progress of the relief force. A part of him wondered too, if there would be anyone left standing when they did arrive.
Lt. Apostolovski reorganized his platoon some 150 yards from the Chinese defenses. The occasional reports of muskets and rifles issued from the makeshift breastworks, but by in large, the fire was ineffective. Looking to his rear, the Lieutenant was heartened to see their artillery setting up to fire in support of the next attack. He was also relieved to see the 2nd Platoon making their way up to his line.
Lt. Chekov, commanding the 2nd Platoon of Russian troops (Marines) ordered his men to advance at the double. His intention was to use the 1st Platoon as a screen and swing around their right flank and attack into the open-end of the Chinese defensive line. The men snapped in response - urged on as they were by the barking of Sgt. Mulomsvik. However, like Major Borkenhagen's paper plan, this plan was soon to run into the very hard wall of reality.
Shouting as they issued from around the right side of 1st Platoon, Lt. Chekov's men were caught in a crossfire. The Imperial Troops on the low hill behind Huan-Su had been waiting for just such a compact target. (The Russians were moving in Platoon column: three men across.) The cannon in the works of Kengtow had been waiting for just such an opportunity as well.
A well-aimed volley poured forth from the regular unit on the hill. And though at long range, the Chinese artillery fire was most telling. The head of the Russian column was enveloped in fire and smoke. Lt. Chekov was knocked to the ground by the second shell from the Chinese gun. He quickly recovered, but found he had quite less than a platoon left to command. The first three ranks of the column lay dead or wounded. The remaining ranks interpreted this as their cue to exit, and they turned around and made for the relative safety of the artillery support. Both officer and NCO swore in disgust. Lt. Chekov even turned and emptied his revolver at the Chinese in blind frustration before being "escorted" by Sgt. Mulomsvik to the rear.
British Second Effort
As the Russians were being shot to pieces on the right of the Allied push, the British made a second effort in the middle.
Smithers' unit made another push against the line of works, but found itself floundering in the face of stiff resistance. Having to advance straight on into an artillery piece certainly did not help their cause. Four more men went down in this attack. Among these casualties, the Platoon NCO, Sgt. Campbell.
The 1st Platoon did the job, however. Second Platoon, under the spirited leadership of Lt. MacPherson, charged through the disordered ranks of their brother unit. In no time, they were over the barricade and among the Boxers. The lieutenant bloodied his sword, fending off the attacks of two Boxer fanatics. His men broke through this unit quickly and made to continue toward the center of the village and then, to the redoubt on the hill beyond. They were interrupted in their advance by a unit of Tigermen who issued from the rear of the village.
The front of 2nd Platoon was soon fighting for its life. Lt. MacPherson was set upon by three spear men and was seriously wounded after shooting one of the attackers with his pistol. Two enlisted men who saw their officer go down, rushed forward in an attempt to save him. They met a quick end unfortunately, being set upon by a swarm of Tigermen. Sgt. Grant did what he could do to steady his men and repel the Chinese, but the assault was too much. Too occupied with self-defense and saving what was left of the men, Sgt. Grant could not see his officer empty his pistol into a band of three more Tigermen before he succumbed to a vicious sword blow.
Unlike their counterparts who were interested in close-action, the United States Marines relied on firepower. This approach proved quite effective, as the Boxer unit manning the defenses was soon below half-strength and decided to seek safety behind the Imperials or even on the other side of the Leiho. The Marines were able to cross the barricade without much opposition, then. However, new threats soon developed to both their front and to their left. Erratic fire from the Boxers attempting to cut behind the left rear of the Marines, wounded two and killed one. The Marines returned fire, with similar effect. The open flank was secured by the Gatling gun that had set up just minutes before the Marines took the barricade. The Boxers were caught in the open and were mown down like wheat before a scythe. No less than eight Boxers were killed and wounded by this steady stream of fire. The survivors went to ground, taking what cover could be found in the kneehigh grass and scrub.
The Boxers kept up the pressure however, as the Tigermen hiding in the woods on the ridge line, ran out and down into the ranks of the advancing German Sailors. These men, under Lt. Allardice and Sgt. Knapp, fired a weak volley in attempt to stop the tide of red sweeping down upon them. It did nothing to stop the Chinese from running into their open ranks. Much to his surprise, Lt. Allardice was cut down in the first seconds of this attack. As with the Russians on the far right and the British in the middle. The morale of his now leaderless men snapped, and they retreated toward the 2nd Platoon position.
Major Borkenhagen could not believe what he was seeing. He sent a courier to order the 9pd Krupp piece into action. He sent another messenger to Lt. von Steuben, commander of the Marine platoon, ordering him to stop the Chinese advance at any cost.
For reasons they would never learn, the Marines did not have to "prepare to receive" the oncoming Tigermen. These irregulars did not press their attack; they remained in the open, sniping at the retreating Sailors and standing Marines. They also took a few minutes to loot the dead and wounded the Germans had left behind.
The Major then occupied himself with helping Sgt. Knapp rally the shaken Sailors. This was soon accomplished, and the naval infantry formed a new line, extending to the right of the artillery.
Just over two hours into the engagement, the Allied line was in some disarray. The Marine contingent of the United States was the only force that had successfully breeched the barricade around Huan-Su. The British and Russians had attempted it, but each time, they had been thrown back with loss.
Number four of the seven things Major Borkenhagen was dealing with at the same time concerned the whereabouts of the Japanese infantry. Their company commander had been present at the Major's field tent, and had understood his role in the battle plan. However, in the time since that hour, the Major had not heard from the Japanese officer. (Under the movement rules in The Sword and The Flame, cards are turned over until each unit on each side has had the option of moving or declining a move. As an experiment, I added a "house rule" which stated that the Allies could roll 3d6 and based on that result, turn over that same number of cards. Thus, in a movement phase, the Allies may only be able / allowed to move (or not move) 11 units. Given that the Russians, British, Americans and then Germans were quickly occupied with fighting the Boxers, the majority of movement cards were dedicated to these units. When the Japanese were "selected", their rolls for movement were unfortunately, rather low.)
Lt. Trudeau had not heard from any officers of the Allied Relief Force, let alone from Major Borkenhagen. While taking cover from the odd fusillade delivered by the Boxers milling about the perimeter of the Mission, or dodging the odd fire from the Boxers on the low ridge in the distance, he thought he could hear the rifle fire and the occasional report of a cannon to the south.
The all too familiar cry of, "Here they come!" brought the Lieutenant back to the task at hand. The Boxers had reformed, and with the assistance of the Imperial Platoon, were once more, advancing on the Mission walls. The French Marines manning the light field piece fired twice, but were quickly engaged by Boxers. The same applied to those Marines left at the wall and to the Italian Sailors in and around the cemetery.
Under the weight of the Imperial supported attack, the Italians gave up their hold on the cemetery. They would make their stand just outside of the Church courtyard. On the other side of the Mission, the French faced the same situation. Pushed back by a large number of Boxers and Tigermen, the Marines used the east corner of the Church as their last line of defense. The Chinese paid a dear price for this second and final assault, as one stalwart Marine felled four Boxers before taking a spear thrust in the thigh. The grievously wounded Marine was then attacked by two more Boxers and killed. Lt. Trudeau met his fate a few minutes later, standing with two of his enlisted men.
The victorious Boxers - if much reduced in number - then turned their attention to the converts who had sought refuge in the Church. It proved neither refuge nor protection from the depredations of the fanatics.
Having received disheartening reports from the British and Russian company commanders, and noting the state of his own contingent, Major Borkenhagen made the difficult decision to withdraw. His force had been bloodied and even if or when the Japanese came up to the line, he could not be assured of securing a crossing of the Leiho and a subsequent relief / rescue of the trapped garrison in Taipeng Mission. If he could see any silver lining in the dark cloud that hung over the Allied effort that morning, it was only that the Boxers did not pursue his defeated force.
Aftermath
Some four days after the debacle at Taipeng, the Allied Relief Force was reinforced by a large contingent of Japanese and British troops. With these additional troops and under a new command, the Allies made a crossing 10 miles east of Taipeng, routing the few Boxers units foolish enough to stand in the path. However, the effort was too late for the lives of the French, Italians and Christian Converts in Taipeng Mission.
The advance guard of the new force was sickened by the sight. They arrived to find the Mission burnt and bodies and pieces of bodies of soldiers and converts strewn about the grounds.
The Relief of Taipeng Mission A Large-Scale Skirmish Game Set in The Boxer Rebellion
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© Copyright 2002 Hal Thinglum
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