This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Sgt John Minton (Mike3zero)
to remember
Marine Pvt France Silva.
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Contact Info
Last Address Born in Hayward, CA, and died in Red Bluff, CA, on April 10, 1951.
Pvt. France Silva received the Medal of Honor with Dan Daly (and others) at the Boxer Rebellion. Silva and Daly were in the same squad aboard the Flagship USS Newark and as Legation Guards at Peking. Silva and Dan Daly were very close friends (recently developed information). He was medically discharged on July 6, 1901, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA. He also attended Boot Camp at Mare Island in 1898. A model of the American Legation, which was a part of the exhibit, "The Eagle and the Dragon," has been at the archives - Marine Corps History Division since the early 1990s. The Hisotry Division has donated this model to Marine Corps League, Detachment 1140, Red Bluff/Tehama. A retired Air Force friend is having it shipped via USAF from Quantico to Travis AFB, CA. When it arrives I'll go receive it and present it to the detachment. It's demension are 5" L x 18" H x 12" deep and 80 lbs.
Other Comments:
Pvt. Silva's CO was Captain Newt Hall aboard the Newark but when they went ashore to march on Peking, in May 1900, the CO was Captain John Twiggs "Happy Jack" Meyers. Meyers was appointed as the CO of the Marines onbaord the Newark and Oregon by Capt. Bowman (USN). On July 1, 1900, Pvt. Silva was engaged in battle against the Chinese with Meyers, Daly and others from the Newark and USS Oregon. Others had just been either wounded or killed when Pvt Silva got up from behind cover and attempted to reconstruct a barricade (trying to keep the Chinese from advancing) that the Germans had abandoned under fire when he got shot in the left elbow, piercing it and struck his sturnum. He received the Medal of Honor via US Mail. That's how they handle it then most of the time. His last CO at Mare Island was Colonel F. H. Harrington, USMC, who gaive him very high marks on his Conduct Record (EER). The Colonel made the remark on Silva's record that he was a "cool and reliable" Marine. Both Captain Hall and Gunnery Sergeant Peter Stewart also gave him similar marks in his record book. For over one year (and more than $500.00 later) I have researched Pvt. Silva's life, but still have only one photo of him (poor image and he's facing away). This was on the Tarter Wall at Peking. I have his complete file from the National Archives and Records Administration and other information from a variety of sources. He may have suffered from what is now known as PTSD. He lived in CA, OR, WA and ID and was married five times. He was involved with the VFW. He is considered as the first Hispanic Medal of Honor recipient. Marine Corps League, Detachment 1140, Tehama County/Red Bluff, conducts a memorial service at his grave site each year on the Marine Corps Birthday. The Tehama County Young Marines Color Guard is attached to this new detail in memory of Pvt. Silva.
Boxer Rebellion (China Relief Service)
From Month/Year
June / 1900
To Month/Year
July / 1900
Description The Boxer Rebellion, Boxer Uprising or Yihequan Movement was an anti-imperialist uprising that took place in China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty. It was initiated by the Militia United in Righteousness (Yihetuan), known in English as the "Boxers", and was motivated by proto-nationalist sentiments and opposition to imperialist expansion and associated Christian missionary activity.
The uprising took place against a background of severe disruption caused by the encroachment of America and European nations. After several months of growing frustration against both the unrelenting wave of European and Christian presence in Shandong and the North China plain in June 1900, Boxer fighters, convinced they were invulnerable to foreign weapons, converged on Beijing with the slogan "Support Qing government and exterminate the foreigners." Foreigners and Chinese Christians sought refuge in the Legation Quarter. In response to reports of an armed invasion to lift the siege, the initially hesitant Empress Dowager Cixi supported the Boxers and on June 21 issued an Imperial Decree declaring war on the foreign powers. Diplomats, foreign civilians and soldiers as well as Chinese Christians in the Legation Quarter were placed under siege by the Imperial Army of China and the Boxers for 55 days.
Chinese officialdom was split between those supporting the Boxers and those favoring conciliation, led by Prince Qing. The supreme commander of the Chinese forces, the Manchu General Ronglu (Junglu), later claimed that he acted to protect the besieged foreigners. The Eight-Nation Alliance, after being initially turned back, brought 20,000 armed troops to China, defeated the Imperial Army, and captured Beijing on August 14, lifting the siege of the Legations. Uncontrolled plunder of the capital and the surrounding countryside ensued, along with the summary execution of those suspected of being Boxers.
The Boxer Protocol of 7 September 1901 provided for the execution of government officials who had supported the Boxers, provisions for foreign troops to be stationed in Beijing, and 450 million taels of silver—approximately $10 billion at 2017 silver prices and more than the government's annual tax revenue—to be paid as indemnity over the course of the next thirty-nine years to the eight nations involved. The Empress Dowager then sponsored a set of institutional and fiscal changes in an attempt to save the dynasty by reforming it.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
June / 1900
To Month/Year
July / 1900
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
People You Remember Pvts. Dan Daly,Oscar Upham, Capts. Newt Hall and John Myers, USMC, Capt. Bowman, USN. More to come.
Memories Arguing with Capt. Hall about returning to sick bay for gund shot wound. Silva insisted that he be allowed to remain in battle with fellow Marines and Sailors - Hall and Silva exhanged words and then weapons. Hall took Silva's rifle and Silva took Hall's pistol - at Silva's "request."
