The Boxer Rebellion, Seymour Expedition, June 1900; An histo...

Hammer

£3,600

The Boxer Rebellion, Seymour Expedition, June 1900; An historically significant diarised account of the ill-fated campaign to reach the beleaguered Western legations in Peking (Beijing), under threat by the 'Boxer' Movement, an anti-Western, Anti-Christian group of Chinese 'peasant' militia, the account written by Morris Edward Cochrane, Sub-Lieutenant on H.M.S. Centurion, who was one of a 2000 strong force led by Admiral Edward Seymour setting off from Tientsin (Tianjin) attempting to reach Peking (Beijing) by rail. Having received orders on Sunday 10th June at 5.30am to make ready his men within the hour, Sub-Lieut. Cochrane describes in great detail the advance and subsequent retreat back to Tianjin of the multi-national force ending his account on Thursday 25th June, in jubilant mood having just met with the Russian relief column, the force having been under almost constant fire with few provisions for much of the preceeding two weeks, the journal accompanied by a letter to his family dated June 29th once he was back on board HMS Centurion effectively being an abridged account of his journal, a scrap album with newspaper clippings relating to Cochrane's career, two late 19thC Midshipmen Log books, when he served aboard HMS Achilles, Ramillies, Nelson, Resolution, Clypso and Cleopatra (1895-1899) four watercolours by the author of various naval vessels, and other related military ephemera. (a lot)
A comprehensive personal account of the expedition from a lower ranking officer which does offer a critical insight into the consequences of orders and decisions taken by those above, all written in a soldierly matter of fact fashion, describing the injuries to Captain Jellicoe, Cochrane describes for example 'Skipper was dangerously, if not mortally, wounded, awful!'. 
Morris Edward Cochrane was born in 1879, the youngest son of J. H. Cochrane and Charlotte Newton. He entered the Royal Navy as a Naval Cadet on 15 January 1893. He was appointed a Midshipman in February 1895 and was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant in August 1898. On 9 November 1900 he was promoted to Lieutenant for his services in China. He later served in Somaliland and was mentioned in despatches. He was advanced to Lieutenant-Commander in November 1908 and Commander in May 1919. For his services in the Great War he was awarded the D.S.O., the Italian Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus and the Serbian Order of the White Eagle.