Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-09-20
JAPANESE VICTORY.
The Chinese Suffer a Disastrous
Defeat at Ping Yang.
THEY LOSE OVER 10000 MEN.
The Japanese Loss TrifiIng-An Immense
Amount Of ANN unition and Other
Stores Fall into the Vic
tors Hands.

ceived here from Seoul says that dur
ing last Thursday evening a Japan
csc column from Ping Yang made
a reconnaissance, drawing the fire of
the Chinese forts and ascertaining accu
rately their disposition. Then they
fell back in good order with little loss.
Friday night all the Japanese forces
were in position for onbined attack,
the Gensan column threatening the Chi
nese left flank, the Ping Yang column
facing the Chinese center and the
Hwang Zu column operating on the
Chinese right. The latter column had
been REINFORCED by a detachment OF
marines and b1uejackets from the feet
at the mouth of the Ia Tong river.
The Chinese retired to their old defenses
at Ping Sang and threw up new works
with the result that their position was
exceptionally strong.
The battle opened Saturday morning
at day break with direct cannonade
upon the Chinese works. The Chinese
replied effectively for some time. AT
2 o'clock a body of Japanese infantry
was thrown forward in skirmish order
and kept up a rife fire upon the enemy
until dusk. The Chinese defenses suf-
fered from the Japanese fire, but the
losses on each side were not great.
The fighting was continued at inter
walls throughout the night. In the
meantime the two fanking columns of
the japanese drew a cordonsaround the
Chinese troops.
At o'clock yesterday morning the
general japanese attack was made with
admirable precision. The Chinese lines,
which Were strong in front, were found
to be weak in the rear, and the Chinese,
utterly unprepared for Japanese at
tack from that quarter, were taken
completely by surprise, became panic
stricken and were cut down and bay
oneted by the hundreds. Defending
the entrench1nent were some of Vice
roy Lii Hung Changes picked Chinese
troops, drilled by Europeans. These
made a determined stand to the last
and were cut down to a man.
The Ping Yang column, swarming
over the damaged defenSeS Of the
Chinese front, completed the route of
the Chinese and the whole of the lat
ter's position was captured an hour
after the early morning attack began.
It is believed that the Chinese position
at Ping Yang was defended by 90, 900
Chinese, of whom only 1000 succeeded
in escaping. The japanese victory was
brilliant and complete. An immense
amount of provisions, arms, ammuni-
ton and other stores, in addition to
hundreds Of flags, were captured in the
Chinese camps and entrenchment.
Among the captured Chinese are sew
eral of the most prominent command
ing officers in Corea, only few of the
commanders succeeding in escaping
and these getting away almost imme-
diately after the japanese made their
attack upon the Chinese rear. Among
the prisoners was Gen. Tso Fonk-Wai,
commander-in-chiefo of the Manchurian
army, who fought desperately to the
last. and who only yielded when he
was badly wounded.
The Japanese loss was trifiing COM
pared with that of the Chinese, only
thirty japanese being killed and 270
wounded. Eleven Japanese officers are
included in these numbers, and the loss
of the japanese was incurred mainly
during the first days fighting. During
the night attack the Chinese, taken by
surprise, became panic-stricken, threw
away their guns and fed, thus throw
ing into confusion the regiments which
otherwise might have been counted up
on to make a better stand.
The Japanese, when this dispatch
was sent, were in active pursuit of the
fugitive Chinese, and as nearly all the
latter are without arms, they will I'M
doubted1y surrender SO soon as the
japanese overtake them.
So far as the active operations of the
Chinese in Corea are concerned the war
is practically at an end for long time
to come, and the mainland of Corea
may be said to be completely in the
hands of the japanese. The Corcans,
who have shown sympathy with the
Chinese, and a few detached bands of
Chinese troops may continue guerilla
warfare for some time, but until China
succeeds in getting another army into
Corea that country Will remain
in the undisturbed possession of Japan.
And, in view of previous reports re-
ceived as to the terrible conditions OF
the roads in the north and the utter i'm
possibility of moving guns and supplies
southwark, it is not likely that there
will be any more fighting of impor-
lance in Corea during the present year.
The Japanese are naturally highly
elated over their victory, and it is hoped
that it may serve as the basis for peace
negotiations.