·清军在机器局与联军激战

        清光绪二十六年五月初(1900年6月初),在八国联军入侵中国的民族危亡时刻,聂士成率武卫前军马步队到达天津。五月十四日(6月10日),英国海军司令西摩尔率领八国联军2000余人,由天津向北京进犯时,戍守落垡的聂士成,立即电告裕禄,准备在杨村进行阻击,裕禄不准。聂士成愤慨欲拔营回芦台,未被允许,仍在这一带与八国联军屡屡进行小战。
        在大沽炮台保卫战同时,从6月16日开始,聂士成奉命攻打天津租界,恶战十数次,相持八日,使租界岌岌可危。6月17日,八国联军攻陷大沽炮台后,大举进攻天津。退入天津城的清军,与聂士成军会同作战,壮大了力量。
        6月18日晨,数百名联军,由火车站沿着铁路窜至锦衣卫桥,被聂士成武卫前军和练军、义和团奋力击退。中午,联军又在紫竹林用炮向南门外、海光寺旁的机器局轰击,致使厨房起火。
        6月27日,侵略军进攻东局子,护守西面的武卫前军营官潘金山,击毙侵略者多名。又从军粮城一带突出的联军马队千余,对武卫前军形成四面包围之势,潘金山右腿被打穿,包裹伤口坚持战斗。炮弹坠入东局子棉花药库,四面火起。另一股联军由河东窜至陈家沟,抢修铁路桥座,武卫前军后路统领胡殿甲,会合义和团进行截击,打死不少敌人。并将陈家沟联军所修铁桥轰毁,侵略军逃回租界。
        6月28日,马玉昆率队开进天津,连同聂士成军,清军有1.6万多人,再加上义和团3万人,力量达到4.6万余人。聂、马军并划分了攻守范围:马玉昆军负责老龙头火车站、陈家沟和紫竹林;聂士成军负责南门、海光寺、八里台一带。
        6月30日,马玉昆与聂士成军联合义和团,分别攻打天津租界、老龙头火车站。联军害怕清军追及,将紫竹林处海河的浮桥拆断。驻扎在盐垛的清军,也赶来助战,敌人急忙涉水渡河,中炮落水的不少,还打死敌人战马4匹。
        7月5日,聂士成率步炮营等,移扎在海光寺,并分头择地修筑炮台。7月6日,聂士成指挥士兵,把两尊大炮架在小西门围墙土台上,向租界及跑马场一带的侵略军猛烈轰击。敌军猝不及防,五六百人的马队,奔回跑马场地道内潜藏。复出后,又被炮火轰击,敌人乱作一团,四处逃窜。
        当天夜里,聂士成挑选了百名勇士,乘船暗渡卫津河,潜至跑马场,向里面投掷手雷,炸死炸伤了许多敌人,攻占了跑马场和八里台。第二天,聂士成又率队,沿马场道进攻敌军据点,一直打到租界边缘的小营门,夺取了敌军的小营门炮台,侵略军携炮逃遁。
        7月9日凌晨,八国联军6000多人从租界出发,向天津西南郊进攻。日本侵华军司令福岛,率领2000名日军担任主攻。敌人兵分两路,直扑聂士成军阵地; 500多名日本骑兵,攻占了城南的纪家庄,沿卫津河进攻八里台。八国联军的主力也由小营门、马场道,一直攻到八里台。
        聂士成得知敌人进攻八里台的消息后,连夜从海光寺机器局赶到八里台,重新组织兵力,准备坚守八里台。这时,日军1000人,在俄、英、美军1000人援助下,完成了对聂士成军的包围。聂士成沉着应战,与敌人激战两个多小时。战斗中,聂士成身先士卒,冲锋在前。他两腿被枪弹打伤,血流如注,仍忍痛立马横刀,指挥战斗。营官宋占标,哭求聂士成退后稍息。聂士成坚决不肯,提刀挺立桥头,向官兵大声疾呼: “今天就是以死报国的日子,至死也不能后退一步! ” 他奋臂驱马,挥着战刀勇劈敌人。这时,一颗炮弹在聂士成身边炸开,他的左右两腮被弹片打穿,胫侧、脑门多处受伤,小腹被炸穿,肠子流出数寸。但他仍然继续指挥战斗,打退了敌人一次又一次的进攻。最后,一颗子弹射中他的胸膛,聂士成壮烈捐躯沙场。同时阵亡的还有宋占标等将士350多人,这就是中国近代史上著名的天津八里台保卫战。
        聂士成殉国后,清政府迫于帝国主义的压力,直到光绪三十一年(1905),才在八里台桥旁为聂士成立碑纪念,谥号 “忠节” 。碑的正面刻着: “聂忠节公殉难处” 。两侧柱石上镌刻着两条长联: “勇烈贯长虹,想当年马革裹尸,一生丹心化作怒涛飞海上; 精诚留碧血,看此地虫沙历劫,三军白骨愁歌乐府战城南” 。横额为:“生气凛然” 。八里台桥被命名为“聂公桥” 。

        

·聂士成纪念碑

        In June 1900,Nie Shicheng led the calvary and infantryof the Pioneer Army to Tianjin during the critical timeof China when the allied forces of eight powers invadedChina. On June 10,the British commander Seymourled 2000 allied soldiers from Tianjin to Beijing. NieShicheng notified Yu Lu that it was necessary to nickat Yangcun. Yu Lu did not agree. Nie Shicheng wasvery angry and was going to return to Lutai but wasnot allowed,so he stayed and fought the enemies. Theinvaders were forced to retreat to Tianjin.
        During the defense of Dagu Emplacements,Niereceived an order to attack the Tianjin concessions. Thefire was fierce; the cannons never stopped roaring. Therewere eight fights in eight days. On June 17,the alliedforces of eight powers attacked Tianjin after the fall ofDagu emplacements. The Qing army retreated to Tianjincity and joined with Nie Shicheng`s army. The fight inthe city became more and more fierce.
        In the morning of June 18,hundreds of allied forcescame to Jinyiwei Bridge from the railway station. Theywere fought back by the pioneer Army,local army andYihetuan. At noon,the allied forces shelled machinerybureau near Nanmenwai and Haiguang Temple fromZizhulin. The cabinet was on fire.
        On June 27,the invaders attacked Dongjuzi. PanJinshan,the officer of the pioneer Army ordered thesoldiers not to move. When the enemies drew near,he ordered the fire by lined guns,which killed manyinvaders. Then suddenly came the calvary of theenemies,the pioneer Army was circled. Pan Jinshan`sright leg was hit,but he continued to fight. One shell fellin the magazine of Dongjuzi and aroused fire. Anothergang of enemies went from Hedong to Chenjiagou torepair the iron bridges. Hu Dianjia led the back armyintercepted the enemies with Yihetuan. They blew awaythe iron bridge. The enemies returned to the concessions.
        On June 28,Ma Yukun led his army to Tianjin.Together with Nie Shicheng`s army,there were 16,000soldiers. Yihetuan had 30,000 members. Ma Yukun`sarmy was responsible for the Laolongtou Station,Chenjiagou and Zizhulin; and Nie Shicheng`s army wasresponsible for Nanmen,Haiguang Temple and Balitai.
        On June 30,Ma Yukun,Nie Shicheng and Yihetuanattacked the Tianjin concessions and LaolongtouRailway Station. Meanwhile,Hu Dianjia of Dongjuziand Yihetuan also assaulted the enemies. The enemiesfled and were killed. They were afraid of being caughtby the Qing army and broke down the floating bridge ofHaihe River. The Qing army stationed at Yanduo alsojoined the fight. The enemies went through the river forlife. Many were hit by shells. Four horses were killed.
        The Haiguang Temple out of Nanmenwai wasthe key to the south road. On July 5,Nie Shicheng ledthe calvary barrack there and built emplacements. OnJuly 6,Nie Shicheng ordered the soldiers to place twocannons on the soil stage of Xiaoximen. The fire on theconcessions and Hippodrome was so abrupt that theenemies had no preparation. About 500 cavalrymen ranabout the Hippodrome for conceal. When they appearedagain,they were hit by the shells. A Britain officerrecalled that their position was nearly lost when they metthe bombardment from Nie Shicheng`s artillery.
        At night,Nie Shicheng chose one hundred bravesoldiers. He shipped them to the Hippodrome by WeijinRiver. They threw mines,which wounded and killedmany enemies. In the next day,Nie Shicheng led hisarmies along Machang Road to attack the enemy`spositions. They fought to Xiaoyingmen,the edge of theconcession and occupied the emplacement. The invadersran away with cannons.
        In the morning of July 9,6000 enemy soldiersdeparted from the concessions and attacked thesouthwest of Tianjin. The 2000 Japanese soldiersattacked as the pioneers. They were divided into twoforces towards the Nie Shicheng`s position. About 500Japanese cavalrymen occupied Jijiazhuang. The mainforce of the enemies went directly to Xiaoyingmen andthe area near Machang Road. The Qing army went alongthe Machang Road and retreated to Balitai.
        On July 9,1900,Nie Shicheng got the informationthat the enemies would attack Balitai. He went fromMachiery Bureau of Haiguang Temple to Balitai at nightand organized his power again for the protection ofBalitai. 1000 Japanese soldiers began to attack Balitai,assisted by 1000 Russian,Britain and American soldiers.Nie Shicheng`s army was besieged. On the battle field,bullets were flying,smoke rolling,and detonationvibrating.
        Nie Shicheng remained calm and commanded thearmy for more than two hours. He ran before the soldiers.His legs were hurt by bullets with blood running,buthe still sat on the horse and led his army. His officerSong Zhanbiao cried and begged Nie Shicheng to havea rest,but he did not agree. With a sword in his hand,he shouted to his army,"Today is the day to die forour country. We could never retreat." He hewed theenemies courageously. Suddenly,a shell bombed nearhim. His cheeks,legs and brain were wounded. Thelower abdomen was shot through with guts coming out.He continued to command the soldiers to fight back theenemies again and again. In the end,his chest was hit bya bullet. Nie Shicheng sacrificed his life for the motherland. 350 officers and soldiers died,including SongZhanbiao. That was the famous Balitai Defense Battle inthe modern history of China.
        Under the pressure from the imperialists,the QingGovernment did not erect stele for the memory of NieShicheng at Balitai until 1905. His posthumous title was"loyalty". In the front of the stele engraved the words of"the place where his honorary Nie died". Two coupletswere engraved in two stone pillars to praise his courageand loyalty. The Balitai Bridge was renamed as "MrNie`s Bridge".

        

·1905年建的聂公碑(现无存)