These pictures were taken during the time that American Guns, Chinese Magic takes place. I hope to update the page with three new pictures every week, along with full descriptions where possible.

Photograph taken the morning of 10 June 1900 in the Settlement Railway Station across the Pei River from the Foreign Concessions at Tsu Chu Lin. Of note is the large number of American sailors in blues, some wearing knit black "watch caps" while the rest wear the white work hat that would later be known as the "dixie cup" hat that became symbolic of sailors in the U.S. Navy.

U.S. Navy sailor aboard the battleship U.S.S. New York in Full Marching Order. Although unspecified, it is likely that this man is a member of the gun crew for the 3-inch landing gun he is standing in front of -- note that he is not carrying a rifle, but instead is armed with both a pistol and a cutlass<!>. This is the same kind of 3-inch field gun that the Seymour Expedition took with them on 10 June.

Picture taken shortly after the one at left, showing the same scene. Left of center, one can spot U.S. Marines in full marching order with packs on their backs and the "cowboy" style slouch hat on their heads. Of note are the native wheelbarrows in the foreground which are being used to carry the shore party's provisions and extra ammunition. The ox cart and Li Ch'ou Tzu are out of picture to the far left.

Period Photos

Sailors identified as Italian marines are seen loading a gondola under the supervision of a pair of officers. Of some small note is the presence of a large black dog at the far left of the picture; the same animal can be seen in front of the Royal Marine infantryman farthest to the left in the photograph directly below this one, indicating they were being taken on the same day.

A Chinese locomotive, c.1900. It is not certain where this photo was taken, but this is the type of locomotive that was used by all five trains of the expedition. Note the Chinese crew. The man standing in front of the cab has a small chain across his vest, almost certainly for a pocket watch. Native drivers were often used for locomotives in North China.

Photograph taken of US Marines and Navy personnel aboard railway carriage. This may be from 31 May, when Captain Myers led the Legation guards to Peking, or from 10 June, when Admiral Seymour led the rescue mission north. Note mix of civilians talking with the military personnel ... and that the Americans have been accorded only a Second Class carriage!

Period Photos

White-uniformed British Royal Marine Light Infantry are seen loading a wheeled gun into a railway gondola. It may be a Nordenfelt multi-barrel "volley" gun, and one such gun is known to have been taken to Peking on 31 May by the newly formed British Legation guards. This suggests this photo was taken at the same time and place as the two seen at left.

This picture shows [red dot] Captain John T. Myers of the US Flag Ship Newark on the platform of what is almost certainly the Settlement Railway Station serving the Foreign Concessions across the Pei River at Tsu Chu Lin. The would date the image as having been taken outside Tientsin on the morning of Thursday, 31 May 1900.

Another shot of [red dot] Captain Myers of the USFS Newark on the station platform. A second US Marine officer is alongside him, with his back to the camera; this is very likely Captain Newt Hall of the USS Oregon. On 31 May they led to Peking a Legation Guard of 25 marines from the battleship Oregon and 23 marines, 5 sailors, and Assistant Surgeon Lippett from the cruiser Newark.

A view of the Settlement Train Station, located on the far side of the Pei Ho from the Foreign Concessions. This view looking south was taken from the western ramp of the flying bridge that crossed the four sets of tracks to the other side of the station. The date is unknown; it could be either 31 May, when the Legation guards went up to Peking, or it could be 10 June, when the Seymour Expedition was formed up at the station.

Pontoon bridge leading across the Pei River from the Foreign Concessions to the far side, where the Settlement Train Station was located. The bridge could be opened (as shown in this picture) to allow boats to pass up or downstream. The foreigners' bridges were considered a great nuisance by the native boatmen. Date of picture unknown.

A Mexican 20 peso gold coin, dated 1882. Hezekiah Sauer carried such a coin with him, as it was a gift from a Mexican prostitute called Mariposilla. Sauer used to flip the coin at the start of every day to see if his luck was going to be good (Eagle side) or bad (Scales of Justice side).