Item number: M474-4

Year: AD 1908

Material: Copper Alloy

Provenance: Private Collector, USA, 2025

This medal is the China Relief Expedition Medal, established by the United States Department of the Navy on 11 January AD 1908 under General Order No. 82, to recognise officers and enlisted men of the United States Navy who participated in the operations of the Eight-Nation Alliance between 24 May AD 1900 and 27 May AD 1901.

The medal is circular in form. On the obverse, the central device depicts a gate of the city of Beijing, beneath which a five-clawed dragon, shown in left profile and crouching upon the ground, symbolises the Qing Empire. This device is separated by a ring from the surrounding inscription. Around the upper outer ring appears the English legend “CHINA RELIEF EXPEDITION,” while the lower portion bears the date “1900,” referring to the outbreak of the Boxer Uprising. The original intended date was “1901”; however, after approximately 400 medals had been struck, the die was damaged. A replacement die was prepared with the erroneous date “1900,” which was nonetheless retained and not corrected.

The reverse bears, at the centre, the emblem of the United States Marine Corps: a bald eagle with outstretched wings, grasping an anchor and anchor chain in its talons. Below this appears the word “FOR,” encircled by the word “SERVICE,” together meaning “for service.” Around the upper rim is the inscription “UNITED STATES NAVY,” while the lower rim is ornamented with a wreath composed of oak leaves. On both obverse and reverse, the raised rim is higher on the outer edge and lower towards the interior.

The edge of the medal is plain.

The original ribbon of this medal is unknown. The first type is a yellow ground representing China, bordered on each side by black stripes. After AD 1913, the ribbon design was altered: it retained the yellow ground symbolising China, but the edges were trimmed in blue, making it more closely resemble the ribbon of the Army China Campaign Medal.

On June 10, AD 1900, to rescue the various foreign diplomats and citizens, including those from the British Legation, who were besieged by the Boxers in the Beijing Legation Quarter, which included 56 US Marines from the United States. The first relief expedition led by British General Seymour, the multinational force (with 112 US Marines) departed from the Tianjin Concession. However, they encountered resistance from Qing forces and Boxers, forcing them to retreat to their starting point to regroup and await reinforcements.

To support military operations in China, the United States Army appointed Major General Adna R. Chaffee as the commander. Drawing forces from the recently acquired colony of the Philippines, the US dispatched the 9th, 14th, and 15th Infantry Regiments, the 6th Cavalry Regiment, the 3rd and 5th Field Artillery Regiments, and additional logistical units, totalling 2,200 troops, to reinforce the campaign in China.

On July 7, AD 1900, the 9th Infantry Regiment participated in the battle for the strategic position of Taku Forts. On July 13, two battalions under the 9th Infantry Regiment were involved in the capture of Tianjin, resulting in a total of 95 casualties for the American forces.

On August 4, AD 1900, the Allied forces advanced towards Beijing, reaching the outer city ten days later. On August 14, the Allied forces divided into five routes to besiege the British Legation compound in the inner city. Soldiers from the US 14th Infantry Regiment scaled the 30-foot walls of the Dongbianmen Gate and continued advancing towards the inner city. At 4:30 PM, the US became the second force to enter the Legation Quarter after the British troops, providing relief.

In the winter of AD 1900, most US troops stationed in China were withdrawn to the Philippines to suppress local resistance movements. On September 7 of the following year, the Qing government and the foreign powers signed the Boxer Protocol, also known as the Xinchou Treaty, which forced the Qing to allow foreign troops to be stationed in the Legation Quarter of Beijing. The US maintained a detachment in Beijing until AD 1938. Additionally, the Qing government was required to pay 24 million US dollars in indemnities to the US government.

However, in AD 1907, through the efforts of Liang Cheng, the Chinese Minister to the United States, the US agreed to return the indemnity as a fund to reward Chinese students studying in the US and assist in the establishment of higher education institutions in China. This fund contributed to the founding of Tsinghua University, a renowned institution in both China and Taiwan.

物件編號: M474-4

年代: 公元 1908 年

材質: 銅合金

來源: 美國私人收藏 2025

這是一枚公元1908年1月11日，美國海軍部按照〈第82號命令〉設立之「遣華解救遠征軍獎章」，以表彰公元1900年5月24日至翌年5月27日間，參與八國聯軍戰役的海軍官兵。

獎章外觀為圓形。正面中央章圖為北京城門，下方為左側面的五爪金龍，匍匐於地，象徵清帝國。以環相隔，其外側上方環列英文「CHINA RELIEF EXPEDITION」，意即「中國救援遠征」；下方為「1900」，為義和團事變起事時間。原始年份標記應為「1901」，但模具於鑄印400枚後損壞，新模具誤刻為「1900」，但仍沿用，並未修正。

背面為中央美國海軍徽章，為一白頭海鵰，兩翼伸展，雙爪銜抓船錨及錨鍊，下方橫列「FOR」，再環列「SERVICE」，即「服役」。章緣上方環列「UNITED STATES NAVY」，意即「美國海軍」，下方為橡葉構成的冠環。正背面章緣凸環皆為外租內細，外高內低。

獎章邊稜光平。

原綬帶不明，第一型綬帶底色為代表中國的黃色，兩側有黑色色帶。公元1913年後，綬帶形制更換，底色為代表中國的黃色，兩側邊緣鑲以藍色飾邊，以接近陸軍「中國戰役獎章」的綬帶形制。

公元1900年6月10日，為拯救遭義和團圍困於北京英國大使館的各國公使和公民，跟其中戍守使館的56名美國陸戰隊同袍。包含112名美國陸戰隊員在內的國際聯軍在英軍將領西摩爾指揮下，從天津租界出發的第一次解圍行動遭到清軍和義和團的阻擋，僅能退回原點整補與等待增援。

為支援在中國的軍事行動，美國陸軍指派阿德納·霞飛少將為指揮官，以不久前奪取的殖民地菲律賓為基地，抽調第9、第14、第15步兵團、第6騎兵團、第3、第5野戰砲兵團和其餘後勤部隊，總計2200名的兵力增援中國戰事。公元1900年7月7日，第9步兵團先參與戰略要地大沽口砲台的爭奪戰；7月13日，第9步兵團轄下兩個營則參與天津的攻克戰，美方總計有95人傷亡。公元1900年8月4日，聯軍朝北京正式推進，並且在十天後抵達北京外城區。8月14日當天，聯軍分為五路進逼圍困在內城區的英國使館，美國第14步兵團的士兵們徒手攀登30英尺的東便門，持續向內城區挺進。下午4點半，美國成為繼英軍之後，第二支進入使館區的解圍部隊。

公元1900年冬，美國已將多數的駐華部隊撤回菲律賓，以鎮壓當地的反抗運動。隔年9月7日，清廷和列強簽訂《辛丑條約》被迫允許各國在北京使館區駐紮部隊，美軍便在北京留下一支分遣隊直到公元1938年為止。除此之外，清廷還必須給予美國2400萬美金的賠款。不過公元1907年，在清國駐美公使梁誠的奔走下，美方同意退回賠款以此為基金，獎勵中國留學生赴美和協助中國高等教育機關的創建，這便是兩岸知名學府清華大學的創立背景。