 In 1899 , the situation in China worsened until it culminated in the Boxer Rebellion . The following spring , Yorktown was withdrawn from her patrol duties in the northern Philippines to provide assistance to the operations off the coast of North China . She departed Manila on 3 April 1900 , bound for China ; and , after she reached the mainland , her landing force served ashore at Taku . In addition , Marines from Yorktown participated in the actions at Tientsin between June and July . Under the command of Commander Edward D. Taussig from June 1900 to June 1901 , she continued to support the China Relief Expedition forces . In June 1900 , she assisted Oregon back off a reef near that Chinese port . 
