Unsuccessful wars with France (1882-1885) and Japan, accompanied by territorial losses and followed by deep penetration of China by foreign interests, kindled hatred in China’s ruling classes for the “foreign devils.” The spirit of this movement was expressed by “Great Fists” athletic organizations, which is to say boxing societies, hence their name Boxers.
The Chinese nurtured particular hatred for Russia which had occupied (apparently permanently) Port Arthur and built railways in Manchuria.
Disturbances increased all through the year of 1899, and in May of 1900 an uprising broke out that swept over all of northern China and Manchuria. The armed forces joined the rebels. Enraged hordes besieged Peking’s foreign quarter where embassy and consular buildings were turned into improvised forts.
Upon receiving news of the embassies’ critical situation, the commander of the international squadron in the Gulf of Pochihli, the British admiral Seymour, moved at the head of a combined force of 2000 men from Taku through Tientsin towards Peking. However, he overrated his own strength and after his column passed through Tientsin it was surrounded by a well-armed 30,000-strong army. In this critical situation Seymour’s landing force was saved on 28 May by Colonel Anisimov’s 12th East-Siberian Rifle Regiment which had come from Port Arthur and landed in the Pochihli area at the direction of Admiral Alekseev. Seymour and Anisimov retreated to Tientsin. Here they were again blockaded and relieved, this time on 14 June by the arrival of the 9th East-Siberian Rifle Regiment with the commander of the 3rd Siberian Rifle Brigade, General Stessel. Anisimov and Stessel attacked the Chinese from two sides (front and rear). Six guns were captured.
