 As Liscum and Robert Leamy Meade were among the last to arrive at the Eight-Nation Alliance fort, they were unable to participate in the planning of the attack and were instead subject to the will of British Royal Engineers General Arthur Dorward.Early in the morning of July 13, Liscum was to lead the 9th Infantry on the left side of an allied attack on the walled city.However, due to poor planning and miscommunication, Liscum led his men to the right across open ground in plain view of Chinese snipers equipped with modern rifles.