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 for their suppression, but the same month the railway stations were attacked by them, and legation guards were again hastily dispatched from Tientsin. Scarcely had they arrived when the railway between that city and Peking was seized by the Boxers June 4, and soon thereafter all telegraphic communication with the capital ceased.

Events that startled the world followed swiftly. A column of naval troops were marched overland to open up communication with the legations, and military forces were hurried forward from the American army in the Philippines, and by the other treaty powers from the nearest foreign posts. The Taku forts were occupied by the allied forces after a few hours' bombardment,—the American admiral declining, however, to take part in it, as he held it to be an act of war, and his instructions were to use his forces only for the protection of American interests; but it proved to be a wise military precaution, as the Chinese government was then under the control of the Boxers, and its forces were coöperating with them against the foreigners. Tientsin was attacked by the Chinese troops in large numbers, and the foreign residents were saved from slaughter only by the timely arrival of the allied forces. News came from Peking of the murder of the German minister and the siege of the legations, succeeded by frightful rumors of the extermination of the diplomatic corps and all foreigners in the capital.

Then followed the repulse of the column sent to the relief of the legations, their long and heroic siege, the gathering of the allied army at Tientsin, its march to