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256 of the French, and these two commands went up the Pei-Ho between the river and the railroad. The Americans, English, Japanese, and other commands advanced along the west bank of the Pei-Ho, the Americans being two thousand strong, including a battery.

The Chinese were strongly intrenched at Peitsang, in a position ten to twelve miles north of Tien-Tsin. They had over twenty thousand troops on the firing line, and half as many more in reserve; and several of their batteries held excellent positions for defence.

The main portion of Peitsang is on the left side of the Pei-Ho. It is a town of considerable importance, containing many thousands of inhabitants and a long wharfage. Back of the town is a long lake, connecting with the river by canals. These canals had all been cut, and the roads beside them ploughed up.

The going out of the Allies from Tien-Tsin proper was like the moving of some immense caravan, or what many a boy in America knows as a "Wild West" show. The troops were arrayed in a dozen different uniforms, and marched as pleased them; and behind them came the quartermasters' turnouts, horses and wagons, cows and carts, little donkeys