光绪二十六年(1900)五六月间,义和团运动发展到天津城厢。附近州县和静海的义和团民,也赶赴天津抗敌,团民达四五万人,天津城厢有坛口300多个。同年6月14日,曹福田率乾字六七千团民,步行赴津,将总坛口设在天津城西吕祖堂内,被各地进入天津的团民拥为总首领。
        以林黑儿为统帅的 “红灯照”赴津后,将大船停在侯家后南运河上。船上围红布、扬红旗,身上穿红装,手中持红帕、红扇,入夜提红灯。参加了义和团的多次战斗,令敌人闻风丧胆。
        京津铁路沿线之战。光绪二十六年(1900)五月初,帝国主义列强以“救援北京使馆”为借口,在天津组织联军2000余人,准备沿京津铁路进攻北京。五月十四日 (6月10日),联军抢夺老龙头火车站机车,乘火车向北京侵犯,义和团拆毁铁路,堆积障碍物,阻击敌人。义和团先后在落垡、廊坊车站与侵略军血战。退到杨村,又被义和团包围在杨村火车站。侵略军弃车抢船,沿北运河向天津逃窜。这次侵略军向北京侵犯,死伤200余人。
        鏖战老龙头火车站。大沽炮台失守后,侵略军向天津城进犯。义和团拆毁津塘铁路路轨、枕木,堆积石块,并在海河两岸不断阻击,使侵略军付出了很大代价,才到达了天津租界。俄国侵略军1700余人,攻占了老龙头火车站(今天津站)。曹福田包围了火车站,以迅雷不及掩耳之势发动猛攻,打死打伤俄国侵略军500余人。加上张德成和清军马玉昆部的助战,曾几次攻占火车站。
        武备学堂和东局子战斗。侵略者向天津武备学堂进犯时,留在校内的90余名爱国学员奋起抗击,全部壮烈牺牲。东局子机器局,是清政府在华北最大的军工厂; 当时,这里又控制着京津之间的通道。6月27日,沙俄侵略军从3面攻打东局子。天津东郊义和团9000余众,王成德的“乾”字团和清军聂士成部与敌人展开激烈的拉锯战。终因敌军大炮轰击,致使东局子院内弹药库爆炸,造成了义和团民的重大伤亡。
        紫竹林之战。紫竹林位于法租界,隔河与老龙头火车站相对,是侵略军集结的地方。张德成率“天下第一团”五六千人,分乘72只大船,从独流沿南运河驶来天津参战。除协同曹福田部攻打老龙头外,还会同聂士成部,从租界的西、南2个方向,向紫竹林展开进攻,重创敌军。
        守卫天津城大战。正当义和团同八国联军鏖战之时,以慈禧为代表的清政府,却改变了依靠义和团民抵抗外来侵略的政策,派甲午战争中的败将宋庆,到天津屠杀义和团,捣毁了义和团在城内外的坛口,情况争转直下。7月13日,八国联军倾巢出动万余侵略军,进攻天津城,疯狂地炮轰南门。这时清军主力已逃跑,只有练军(地方部队)和义和团,以及芦勇、雁户(打雁的猎户),在城内外浴血奋战,一直坚持战斗到天津城失陷。

        

·义和团与日、俄军激战老龙头车站

        From May to June in 1900 (the 26th year of EmperorGuanxu period),the Yihetuan Movement had expandedto Tianjin suburbs. The Yihetuan members of Jinghaiand nearby counties went to Tianjin to combat withthe invaders. The total member of Yihetuan in Tianjinreached to 40,000 to 50,000. In the suburbs of Tianjin,300 Tankous were set up. On June 14,Cao Futian led6,000-7,000 boxers from Qingyun,Yanshan,Huangye,and Jinghai counties to enter Tianjin. They set up theGeneral Tankou at Lvzu Temple in the west of Tianjin.
        Led by Lin Hei`er,the Hongdengzhao also arrivedin Tianjin. The ships with Hongdengzhao members onboard were covered by red cloth. All the members worered clothes and brought red handkerchiefs and red fans.They carried red lights at night. Their bravery was welldemonstrated in the battle with the enemies.
        The battle along the Beijing-Tianjin Railwayoccurred in early May 1900. In cover of rescue theenvoys in Beijing,the invaders gathered an allied forceof over 2000 people in Tianjin and planned to attackBeijing along the railway. In May 14th,the allied forcetook the train in Laolongtou Station and attempted toreach Beijing by train. Yihetuan members destroyedthe railway and set obstacles to block the enemy. Itsmembers also fought battles against the invaders inLuofa and Langfang station. The allied force retreated toYangcun and was surrounded by Yinhetuan at YangcunStation. This time,the invader abandoned trains andtook the ships and fled to Tianjin along the North canal.This invasion made by the allied force end up with a 200casualty.
        The battle at Laolongtou Station happened afterthe Dagu emplacement was lost to the enemies. Theinvaders marched towards Tianjin. Yihetuan membersremoved the track and the sleepers.They also piled rockson the railway. Their continuous attack at both banksof Hai River cost the invaders a great casualty. Afterthe invaders finally reached settlement in Tianjin,1700Russian invaders occupied Laolongtou Railway Station.Cao Futian and his men soon surrounded the station andlaunched an attack and killed more than 500 of them.With the assist of Zhang Decheng and Qing general MaYukun,he more than once occupied the station.
        When the invaders intruded into Tianjin MilitaryPreparatory School,90 of the students beat back andall lost their lives. Dongjuzi Machine Bureau was thelargest military factory in north China. In June 27th,Russian invaders assaulted Dongjuzi in three directions.A fierce seesaw battle was carried between the enemiesand 9000 Yihetuan members from Tianjin suburbs,Wang Chengde and his army and the Qing general NieShicheng`s army. Finally,the magazine in Dongjuziexploded under the enemies` gunfire and caused greatcasualty of Yinhetuan members.
        The battle at Zizhulin took place in the Frenchsettlement. It`s the gathering place of the invader. ZhangDecheng led over 5000 member and came to Tianjin tojoin the battle on ships. He assisted Cao Futian`s armyattacking the Laolongtou Railway Station. Together withNie Shicheng`s,he also attacked enemies in Zi Zhulinfrom two directions.
        While Yihetuan was fighting fiercely the alliedforce,the Qing government,leading by EmpressDowager Cixi,changed its policy on foreign invasions.The Government sent a general to Tianjin to wipe outYihetuan`s army. Within or outside the city,Yihetuan`sTankous were destroyed. The situation soon changed.In July 13th,the allied force organized an army of overten thousand men and attack Tianjin. They bombedthe south gate of the city frantically. The army of Qinggovernment already fled by then,only the local armyand Yihetuan members fight till the last moment,tillTianjin was lost to the enemies.