Edward D. Taussig - The China Relief Expedition (Boxer Rebellion)

The China Relief Expedition (Boxer Rebellion)

In the spring of 1900, Chinese xenophobia fueled by increasing foreign political and economic influence, including the expanding presence of foreign missionaries increased until it culminated in the Boxer Rebellion. Some Chinese Imperial troops, supporting the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists (the Boxers) besieged the foreign legations at Peking and at Tientsin. An international relief force from eight nations was sent to relieve the siege. As part of the United States Navy's force assigned to the campaign, the gunboat USS Yorktown (PG-1), sister-ship of the Bennington, was withdrawn from her patrol duties in the northern Philippines to provide assistance to the operations off the coast of North China. Yorktown departed Manila on 3 April 1900, bound for China. Upon reaching the mainland, her landing force served ashore at Taku. In June 1900, Taussig assumed command of Yorktown. That same month, Yorktown assisted Oregon to back off a reef near Taku. In August 1900, with Yorktown stationed off Chefoo, China, Taussig cabled dispatches of the decisive Battle of Beicang (Peitsang) from which the Chinese military forces never recovered. The gunboat departed Shanghai on 10 September 1900 and reached Cavite on the 17th. In the Philippines, Yorktown resumed her cooperation with Army forces, engaged in pacification efforts and continued these duties over the next two years. Commander Taussig was detached from Yorktown in June 1901 and was ordered home to await orders (June –October 1901).