893.00/9869: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 17—11 a.m.]
235. Following from Tsinanfu:
“April 16, 4 p.m. American missionaries just come from Tenghsien by automobile and report that Southern troops were within 10 miles of Tenghsien at noon on the 14th. From their reports it appears Southern troops opened offensive on Taierhchwang on 10th which was fairly successful, but Northern retreat from Taierhchwang was due largely to the sudden attack on the Shantung troops by several thousand bandits. Southern attack on Hanchwang launched on the 12th and was being sucessfully withstood, but, due to the retreat from Taierhchwang, Marshal Chang94 withdrew troops from Hanchwang to Chiehho 20 miles north of Tenghsien at which place Northern troops are preparing to make a stand. Four or five thousand Shantung troops remain in Tenghsien to delay Southern advance. Missionaries drove through miles of retreating troops between Tenghsien and Chiehho and state retreat was orderly.
Five American missionaries have elected to remain at Tenghsien.”
- Chang Tsung-chang, military governor of Shantung Province.↩