The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1894-11-01
BATTLE OF PING YANG
Mail Advices of the Greatest
Land Defeat.
REPORT OF GENERAL YAMAGATA

This Was the Last Chinese Stronghold
In Corea, and Opened the Way to
China-The Chinese Force Was Esti-
mated at 40, 900 Men.
SAN Francisco, October %. - The
steamship City of Picking arrived from
the Orient this morning, bringing the
following additional advices to those
sent up by the steamer Australia from
Honolulu yesterday. The correspondent
of the North China Gazette telegraphed
his paper as follows in reference to the
battle of Ping Yang:
81 have just reached the front in time
to record the first serious fighting be-
tween the opposing armies, which have
been lying opposite to each other for
several days. The Chinese were we'll in
trenched in Syenchong, Samteung and
Chounghoa, but most strongly at Ping
Yang, where 10000 of their best troops
occupied most advantageous position.
They had been fortifying the place and
adding to it's strength for weeks past.
The 18th and 18th ultimo Samteung,
Chounghoa and Syenchong were occu-
pied after some resistance, and Hoang
Choo, town south of the river Tatung
and from which this message is dated,
was also taken. But Ping Yang, the
present objective point, remained in the
possession of the Chinese. The 10Th the
Japanese main army, after crossing the
river the previous day, advanced, and a
general attack was made upon the chief
Chinese stronghold, the last one in Corea.
A good deal of resistance was met with,
and the place was then regularly be-
sieged. The Chinese had the advantage
of fighting behind protected earthworks
and bastions, but after series of des-
perate battles they were driven from
their defenses and utterly routed. The
Japanese, who fought with splendid de-
termination and gallantry, won COM
plete victory. The siege lasted nearly
all the day and night of the 10Th, and it
was not until the morning of the 10Th
that the victors took undisputed possess
sion of the town. Of the 10000 picked
Chinese troops who formed the garrison
many fed before the enemy entered the
town, aad the rest were either killed,
wounded or taken prisoners. Among
those captured was General Tsa. The
amount of arms, stores and provisions
taken was immense. The Japanese loss
is, killed and wounded, about 300. No
estimate has yet been made OF the Chi
nese killed and wounded. The road to
China is now Open."
General Yamagata has sent the follow
ing report of the battle to headquarters
at Hiroshima:
According to Major General Oshima's
report the greater part of the enemy
were encamped in Ping Yang itself and
on both sides of it. A small portion were
at senkyori Con the right bank), and had
constructed pontoon across the river.
Judging from the result of the attack,
the enemy's cannon must have been less
than twenty. According to the natives
the enemy's strength was about AZ, 200.
The main body was slightly delayed in
crossing the river, and in the attack, the
18th, killed over 100 horsemen; but the
result of the attack on that day was not
complete. The attack was resumed the
morning of the 10Th. Major General
Oshima's brigade had six officers killed
and twelve or thirteen wounded, and as
ammunition also began to fail the brigade
was compelled to desist from the attack.
The battle in other directions, however,
was in our favor, and at about A. NJ.
Ping Yang fell completely into our
hands. A large number of the enemy,
including Tso Paokwei, their COM
mander, were killed, wounded or taken
prisoners, and also very large quantities
of arms, ammunition and provisions fell
into our hands,"