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On 3rd August the allied generals arrived at a resolution to commence the advance the next day with, approximately, 20,000 men, namely, 10,000 j.a.panese, with 24 guns; 4000 Russians, with 16 guns; 3000 British, with 12 guns; 2000 Americans, with 6 guns; 800 French, with 12 guns; and 300 Germans, Austrians, and Italians.
Among the British contingent the navy was well represented, the Naval Brigade, under the command of Captain Gallaghan of the _Endymion_, consisted of 125 bluejackets with four 12-pounders from the _Barfleur, Terrible, Endymion, Phoenix_, and _Algerine_, and 278 marines under Major Luke; there were also two more naval 12-pounders manned by Hong-Kong artillery under Major Saint John; there started on the same day the junks which had been captured from the enemy.
The princ.i.p.al Chinese position was at Peitsang, where they were strongly entrenched on both sides of the river. This position was attacked and stormed by the j.a.panese, supported by the British, on the morning of the 5th, the brunt of the action being borne by the j.a.panese, who lost 200 in killed and wounded, the British only 25, of whom 21 were Indian. The force pressed on day after day, driving the enemy before them, the j.a.panese bearing the brunt of the fighting all the way up. Pekin was reached on the 14th, and about 2:45 General Gaselee had the good fortune to enter the legation first of all the generals. In these actions very little fighting fell to the Naval Brigade, but the marines under Major Luke co-operated in the relief of the cathedral the next day.
