15mm Boxer Rebellion Americans

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One of my strong interests is Asian history and particularly the history of the culture clashes and colonial conflicts of the 19th and early 20th Century. Another is wargaming and modelling miniature figures. Therefore it's only natural that I combine the two.

The so-called "Boxer Rebellion" was a conflict between China and several colonial powers in the year 1900. It stemmed from resistance to outside influence by the Chinese as well as the direct effects of colonial powers seizing control of parts of Chinese territory during the nineteenth century.  When a secret society with mystical teachings and a belief in their own mystical powers and invulnerability rose up and began destroying foreign technology such as telegraph lines and railroad tracks as well as massacring foreign missionaries and their Chinese converts, several nations sent troops to put an end to the uprising. (The Chinese government itself, early on, sent troops to put down this movement, although later the government supported them.)

This secret society was known as Yi-he-chuan (義和拳) which translates as "The Fists of Harmonious Righteousness" or Yi-he-tuan (義和團)  "The Society of Harmonious Righteousness." It's members studied martial arts although historians question how skilled they actually were and how much of their style was based in fact and how much in fantasy. (not an uncommon problem for all martial artists in all periods of history and all countries, by the way.) Because of their martial arts training, Westerns called them "Boxers" as they were said to be practicing "Chinese boxing," the common term at the time for what we now refer to as "kung fu." 

When the Boxers surrounded and besieged the foreign embassy complex in Beijing, a complex whose presence, by the way, had been imposed on the Chinese against their will, and the Chinese military assisted them in this siege, a large relief expedition was sent.

15mm tall figures of United States Marines supported by a US Army gatling gun. The figures are mostly from Old Glory 15s but some are from Frontier Miniatures, a company that ceased production years ago. They were painted by the author.

There were eight foreign powers that participated militarilly in the Boxer Uprising, although the bulk of the troops came from Japan, the British Empire, the Russian Empire, and the United States. Many of the US troops came from the nearby Philipines where the US was trying to pacify and maintain and improve control of territory seized from the Spanish in the War of 1898. Many Filipinos who had fought and worked for independence from Spain now worked and fought for independence from United States control instead. It was an ugly and long conflict. 

15 mm American force for the Boxer Rebellion.My entire force, several units of infantry, a large quantity of artillery, and a unit of cavalry as well as two mounted officers. Aside from 20 Marines from Frontier and the lone gatling gun which came from Miniature Figurines, the remainder of the figures come from Old Glory 15s. Old Glory 15s has a very nice range of figures for the period although they do not produce automatic weapons such as gatling guns. The ruler shows scale. All figures were painted by the author. 

US 6th Cavalry -a regiment of US troops participated in the conflict

American infantry, marines and artillery. A battery of artillery known as "Riley's Battery" participated in the conflict with honors. They also fought in the Philipines.