光緒二十六年(1900)五六月間，義和團(tuán)運(yùn)動發(fā)展到天津城廂。附近州縣和靜海的義和團(tuán)民，也趕赴天津抗敵，團(tuán)民達(dá)四五萬人，天津城廂有壇口300多個。同年6月14日，曹福田率乾字六七千團(tuán)民，步行赴津，將總壇口設(shè)在天津城西呂祖堂內(nèi)，被各地進(jìn)入天津的團(tuán)民擁為總首領(lǐng)。
以林黑兒為統(tǒng)帥的 “紅燈照”赴津后，將大船停在侯家后南運(yùn)河上。船上圍紅布、揚(yáng)紅旗，身上穿紅裝，手中持紅帕、紅扇，入夜提紅燈。參加了義和團(tuán)的多次戰(zhàn)斗，令敵人聞風(fēng)喪膽。
京津鐵路沿線之戰(zhàn)。光緒二十六年(1900)五月初，帝國主義列強(qiáng)以“救援北京使館”為借口，在天津組織聯(lián)軍2000余人，準(zhǔn)備沿京津鐵路進(jìn)攻北京。五月十四日 (6月10日),聯(lián)軍搶奪老龍頭火車站機(jī)車，乘火車向北京侵犯，義和團(tuán)拆毀鐵路，堆積障礙物，阻擊敵人。義和團(tuán)先后在落垡、廊坊車站與侵略軍血戰(zhàn)。退到楊村，又被義和團(tuán)包圍在楊村火車站。侵略軍棄車搶船，沿北運(yùn)河向天津逃竄。這次侵略軍向北京侵犯，死傷200余人。
鏖戰(zhàn)老龍頭火車站。大沽炮臺失守后，侵略軍向天津城進(jìn)犯。義和團(tuán)拆毀津塘鐵路路軌、枕木，堆積石塊，并在海河兩岸不斷阻擊，使侵略軍付出了很大代價，才到達(dá)了天津租界。俄國侵略軍1700余人，攻占了老龍頭火車站(今天津站)。曹福田包圍了火車站，以迅雷不及掩耳之勢發(fā)動猛攻，打死打傷俄國侵略軍500余人。加上張德成和清軍馬玉昆部的助戰(zhàn)，曾幾次攻占火車站。
武備學(xué)堂和東局子戰(zhàn)斗。侵略者向天津武備學(xué)堂進(jìn)犯時，留在校內(nèi)的90余名愛國學(xué)員奮起抗擊，全部壯烈犧牲。東局子機(jī)器局，是清政府在華北最大的軍工廠； 當(dāng)時，這里又控制著京津之間的通道。6月27日，沙俄侵略軍從3面攻打東局子。天津東郊義和團(tuán)9000余眾，王成德的“乾”字團(tuán)和清軍聶士成部與敵人展開激烈的拉鋸戰(zhàn)。終因敵軍大炮轟擊，致使東局子院內(nèi)彈藥庫爆炸，造成了義和團(tuán)民的重大傷亡。
紫竹林之戰(zhàn)。紫竹林位于法租界，隔河與老龍頭火車站相對，是侵略軍集結(jié)的地方。張德成率“天下第一團(tuán)”五六千人，分乘72只大船，從獨(dú)流沿南運(yùn)河駛來天津參戰(zhàn)。除協(xié)同曹福田部攻打老龍頭外，還會同聶士成部，從租界的西、南2個方向，向紫竹林展開進(jìn)攻，重創(chuàng)敵軍。
守衛(wèi)天津城大戰(zhàn)。正當(dāng)義和團(tuán)同八國聯(lián)軍鏖戰(zhàn)之時，以慈禧為代表的清政府，卻改變了依靠義和團(tuán)民抵抗外來侵略的政策，派甲午戰(zhàn)爭中的敗將宋慶，到天津屠殺義和團(tuán)，搗毀了義和團(tuán)在城內(nèi)外的壇口，情況爭轉(zhuǎn)直下。7月13日，八國聯(lián)軍傾巢出動萬余侵略軍，進(jìn)攻天津城，瘋狂地炮轟南門。這時清軍主力已逃跑，只有練軍(地方部隊(duì))和義和團(tuán)，以及蘆勇、雁戶(打雁的獵戶),在城內(nèi)外浴血奮戰(zhàn)，一直堅(jiān)持戰(zhàn)斗到天津城失陷。

·義和團(tuán)與日、俄軍激戰(zhàn)老龍頭車站

From May to June in 1900 (the 26th year of EmperorGuanxu period),the Yihetuan Movement had expandedto Tianjin suburbs. The Yihetuan members of Jinghaiand nearby counties went to Tianjin to combat withthe invaders. The total member of Yihetuan in Tianjinreached to 40,000 to 50,000. In the suburbs of Tianjin,300 Tankous were set up. On June 14,Cao Futian led6,000-7,000 boxers from Qingyun,Yanshan,Huangye,and Jinghai counties to enter Tianjin. They set up theGeneral Tankou at Lvzu Temple in the west of Tianjin.
Led by Lin Hei`er,the Hongdengzhao also arrivedin Tianjin. The ships with Hongdengzhao members onboard were covered by red cloth. All the members worered clothes and brought red handkerchiefs and red fans.They carried red lights at night. Their bravery was welldemonstrated in the battle with the enemies.
The battle along the Beijing-Tianjin Railwayoccurred in early May 1900. In cover of rescue theenvoys in Beijing,the invaders gathered an allied forceof over 2000 people in Tianjin and planned to attackBeijing along the railway. In May 14th,the allied forcetook the train in Laolongtou Station and attempted toreach Beijing by train. Yihetuan members destroyedthe railway and set obstacles to block the enemy. Itsmembers also fought battles against the invaders inLuofa and Langfang station. The allied force retreated toYangcun and was surrounded by Yinhetuan at YangcunStation. This time,the invader abandoned trains andtook the ships and fled to Tianjin along the North canal.This invasion made by the allied force end up with a 200casualty.
The battle at Laolongtou Station happened afterthe Dagu emplacement was lost to the enemies. Theinvaders marched towards Tianjin. Yihetuan membersremoved the track and the sleepers.They also piled rockson the railway. Their continuous attack at both banksof Hai River cost the invaders a great casualty. Afterthe invaders finally reached settlement in Tianjin,1700Russian invaders occupied Laolongtou Railway Station.Cao Futian and his men soon surrounded the station andlaunched an attack and killed more than 500 of them.With the assist of Zhang Decheng and Qing general MaYukun,he more than once occupied the station.
When the invaders intruded into Tianjin MilitaryPreparatory School,90 of the students beat back andall lost their lives. Dongjuzi Machine Bureau was thelargest military factory in north China. In June 27th,Russian invaders assaulted Dongjuzi in three directions.A fierce seesaw battle was carried between the enemiesand 9000 Yihetuan members from Tianjin suburbs,Wang Chengde and his army and the Qing general NieShicheng`s army. Finally,the magazine in Dongjuziexploded under the enemies` gunfire and caused greatcasualty of Yinhetuan members.
The battle at Zizhulin took place in the Frenchsettlement. It`s the gathering place of the invader. ZhangDecheng led over 5000 member and came to Tianjin tojoin the battle on ships. He assisted Cao Futian`s armyattacking the Laolongtou Railway Station. Together withNie Shicheng`s,he also attacked enemies in Zi Zhulinfrom two directions.
While Yihetuan was fighting fiercely the alliedforce,the Qing government,leading by EmpressDowager Cixi,changed its policy on foreign invasions.The Government sent a general to Tianjin to wipe outYihetuan`s army. Within or outside the city,Yihetuan`sTankous were destroyed. The situation soon changed.In July 13th,the allied force organized an army of overten thousand men and attack Tianjin. They bombedthe south gate of the city frantically. The army of Qinggovernment already fled by then,only the local armyand Yihetuan members fight till the last moment,tillTianjin was lost to the enemies.