Few people are aware that when all the troops had left their outposts and retired into the British legation, owing to a mistaken order, four Russian sailors still remained alone at a barricade commanding the Mongol market, and by keeping the Chinese soldiers from being aware of the general retreat into the legation, made it possible for the guards to return to the American, French, and German legations and the wall, which otherwise could only have been done at a frightful cost of lives. * * * * * The United States legation, usually spoken of as the American legation, is pleasantly situated on the south side of Legation street. It is, however, a very small compound. There is only one building in it of foreign style of architecture, utilized as a business office. The second secretary had his residence in the upper portion of this building. [Illustration: UNITED STATES LEGATION Dr. Coltman’s rooms were at the left, Minister Conger’s to the right. The yard or “compound” is paved, with openings for the trees and vegetation. The most attractive part of the house, as is the case with nearly all Chinese houses, is that which looks upon the compound instead of the street.] At the commencement of the siege the following persons were residing in the compound: His Eminence E. H. Conger, minister, his wife, daughter, niece, governess, and two lady guests from Chicago, Mrs. and Miss Woodward; Mr. H. G. Squiers, first secretary, his wife and four sons; Mr. W. E. Bainbridge, second secretary, and his wife; Mr. F. D. Cheshire, interpreter. These comprised the legation staff. There were also the following refugees, who had been obliged to abandon their residences and seek legation asylum: Dr. W. A. P. Martin, president of the Imperial University and author of the “Cycle of Cathay,” “Hanlin Papers,” and other works, both in English and Chinese; Dr. Robert Coltman, Jr., professor of surgery in the Imperial University, author of “The Chinese—Medical, Political and Social,” with his wife and six children; Mr. William N. Pethick, secretary to Li Hung Chang, and three American missionary ladies, Mrs. Mateer, Miss Douw, and Miss Brown. In Mr. Squiers’ family there was also a visitor of distinction—Miss Condit-Smith, a niece of Chief Justice Field, of the United States Supreme Court—as well as a French and a German nursery governess. [Illustration: Inside one of the United States Legation rooms] The marine guard of fifty men was under the command of Captains Myers and Hall, who, with Surgeon Lippett, constituted the officers of the detachment. Captain Hall, with twenty marines, had been for several days at the Methodist mission compound, east of the Hatamen or extreme southeast gate of the city, but on June 20, when it was decided to abandon that compound, and have the American missionaries all move into the British legation, Hall and his men returned to the American legation and thereafter served there.