Help with Cross of St. George/1900-1901 China Campaign medal recipient

[Konstant22]

I have two conjoined medals, with original ribbons, that belonged to my maternal grandfather.  One of them is from the China Campaign
of 1900-1901 and the other is a Cross of St. George, 4th class, 82-655.  I understand that there is a book available in Russian
that might tell me a little about the circumstances under which the Cross of St. George was awarded.  I don't know Russian,
so I was wondering if anyone here who knows Russian and has access to the book might be able to trace the medal's story
through its serial number.

Many thanks.

[Mike]

Was your grandfather's first name Edmund?

[Konstant22]

Yes, indeed, it was!  Wow!

[Konstant22]

His full name was Edmund Faustyn Zubrzynski (with a little accent mark above the surname "n" that I can't do on my keyboard).

[Mike]

Gunner Corporal Edmund Zubzhinsky [Эдмунд Зубжинский], of 2nd fast-firing battery of Guards Rifle Brigade, was awarded the Merit Cross of the Military Order (St. George Cross for men) 4th Class for his gallantry exhibited during the battle at the village of Shiao-Tsan-Cheng, China, on 25 October 1900. This info was kindly provided by Igor K. from the Sammler Forum for military history.

Could you please post here (or send me) an image of Edmund's awards (cross and medal, two sides)?

[Konstant22]

Thank you so much!

I will certainly send or post an image, once I figure out how to do so.

My grandfather was Polish, not Russian.  He died before I was born, but I know that
whatever happened in the earning of this medal he was unhappy about for the rest of his life.

[Mike]

Probably his battery was ordered to fire at civilian homes where the Chinese troops were suspected to hide, and afterwards it turned out that the casualties were actually women and children... Such and similar sad things had happened quite often during that fierce campaign, and as a result many Russian and other Western soldiers were feeling remorse and pangs of conscience.

[Konstant22]

Most likely, alas.
I sent you pictures via email, Mike.
I'll try to post some here as well.

[Konstant22]

[Konstant22]

[Konstant22]

[Konstant22]

"Gunner Corporal Edmund Zubzhinsky [Эдмунд Зубжинский], of 2nd fast-firing battery of Guards Rifle Brigade, was awarded the Merit Cross of the Military Order (St. George Cross for men) 4th Class for his gallantry exhibited during the battle at the village of Shiao-Tsan-Cheng, China, on 25 October 1900."         [[ This info was kindly provided by Igor K. from the Sammler Forum for military history.]

This info courtesy of Mike.

I've been trying to find out more about this battle and this brigade, but I'm flummoxed.  Any thoughts?  Was the battle on the 25th?  Or was that when the award was made?  Checking the list of other awardees, sometimes dates of battle are mentioned and sometimes dates of awards.  I've tried to look up the village in Pinyin and in Wade-Giles--just can't make any progress.

[JGP]

The 2nd Battery of the Guards Rifle Artillery Division, was sent, in August, 1900, to the Far East, where the Boxer Campaign was then in progress. The Division took part in four expeditions, two in the valley of the Pei-chih-li, one in the hills and sandy steppes of Mongolia, and one in the hills of Eastern Manchuria. It covered altogether
about 2,400 miles of different sorts of country, under variations in temperature.  Most of the marches were as much as forty miles in length. The battery came into action eleven times, and fired 389 rounds at cavalry, infantry, buildings, and fortifications at ranges from point-blank to 2,500 yards.

Source:  THE RUSSIAN ARMY AND THE JAPANESE WAR, BEING HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL COMMENTS ON THE MILITARY POLICY AND POWER OF RUSSIA AND ON THE CAMPAIGN IN THE FAR EAST, BY GENERAL KUROPATKIN. NEW YORK; E. P. DUTTON AND COMPANY 1909.

[Mike]

25 October 1900 was the date of the battle. The village's name was spelt as some junior staff officer back in 1900 thought it should be pronounced. The chance of locating it today is next to zero.

[Konstant22]

Thank you both.

I was able to find an online copy of "The Russian Army and the Japanese War" which suggests that my grandfather's unit was there testing out a new quick-firing field-gun, and said that "the results were quite satisfactory.  Unfortunately, the test of shelling houses and field works were made against an enemy who offered little resistance."