Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-09-12
CHINESE IN FULL RETREAT.
Mikado's Forces Successful in Sharp
Engagements on Corean
Territory,

SlSdIIlSlID Gle hdS IIOlI Lung
Kong and Yokohama via Honolulu, bring
ing Yokohama advices to August Is and
Hong Kong to August 1. She has infor-
nation Of a sharp naval engagement be-
tween Chinese and japanese warships of
the modern armored type and also Of bat
ties between land forces Of the two ma
tons.
On July % the Chinese twin screw
steel cruiser Chiyuen, 23OO tons and $500
horse power, and a japanese man-of-war
met in Corean waters. The engagement
commenced in the morning and lasted
forty-eight hours. At the commencement
the Chinese sailors refused to work their
guns, but five of them were shot by their
own officers and the others fought SO well
that they raked the Japanese vessel fore
and aft and carried away the bridge, kill
ing the japanese admiral; but the Japa-
nese picked off all exposed persons on the
Chiyuen and exploded a shell on her deck,
killing a lieutenant and man working one
of the guns. The Chiyuen's steering gear
was carried away and her forward guns
disabled, but she steered with her twin
screws and replied to the japanese with
her after gun with the effect that the
japanese surrendered, hosting the dragon
flag over a white flag; but before the Chi
yuen could approach the captured war
ship several Japanese men-of-War hove in
sight and the Japanese hoisted their flag
again while the Chiyuen fastened to get
away and succeeded in reaching Wei Hal
Wei for repairs. There is no doubt she
was badly damaged. On the next night
q fleet of nine Chinese vessels lett we
Hal Wei to avenge the disaster to the
Chiyuen.
Details of the japanese advances upon
the capture of GaZan, with particulars OF
the battle at Siekwan, have been received.
1t took the japanese army three days to
tpr..h fpI1hA - - - r Nr1vn n u
Seoul, to the vicinity Of Gazan. On the
morning of July % the army came within
sight Of the Chinese tents. The Chinese
camp was situated on a hill at Siekwan,
an important position on the Gazan road,
about seventeen miles from GaZan. IL
frolt Of the hill are rice paddles and
marshes, crossed in the middle by a little
stream which runs into GaZan bay, and
a narrow path leads up the hill. 1t was
Il position easy to defend and hard to at
tack. The troops having to carry q
heavy load besides their rifles over a
wretched road were extremely fatigued,
and from their arrival at 10 a. N. they
were allowed to rest themselves though
the enemy's camp was only three miles
away. But as they had no tents they
had to sit under the burning sun or the
grass, while Gen Oshima himself could
only find two mattingS to shade himself.
There was no pure water and the troops
had to satisfy their thirst with muddy
NdlCI VI IL DditIcS.
At midnight the army moved, two
wings forming two separate companies.
There was only one path to the hill and
there was a bridge over the stream
which had TO be crossed. The main
body crossed the bridge at , O'clock, but
when the last detachment was on the
point Of crossing about ) O'Clock over oOO
Chinese III ambush near the bank cut OH
the bridge and opened fire on the detach-
ment about ninety feet distant. The at
tack was sudden and behind the detach-
ment there was only the medical corps.
The Japanese troops were at hrSt con-
fused, but Capt. MatSuzakl at once or
dered them to march forward and the
troops, encouraged by the order, rushed
upon the Chinese forces anu bore them
down. In the skirmish on the japanese
side six men were killed by the enemy.
seventeen or eighteen were drowned, and
fifteen or sixteen were wounded, though
the fight had lasted only fifteen minutes.
The Chinese fled, leaving behind eighteen
or nineteen killed, among whom was an
officer and two prisoners.
AL was then quiet for two hours. At
6 o'clock the japanese left wing opened
fire. but the Chinese did not respond
until the japanese had fired fourteen or
fifteen rounds. Then began the fight III
earnest. The Japanese charged with q
shout upon the enemy and each charge
effected a new development. The Chi
nese then retreated. After an hour and
a half the battle was over and quiet was
EeSlOISu. IL dDDGd1S lA0I lAC 1ALC
general Che had at first come to defend
this outpost at Seikwan with 1000 troops,
but hearing that the Japanese army lad
left RyuZan over 1900 more troops had
been brought from GaZan and under
Gen. Che on the 9th and 2Sth. They
had intended in case of defeat to re
treat to Tenan, a garrison in the town
about twenty-five miles east of Seikwan,
but the japanese left wing attacked them
from the east to drive them back to Ga
zan. The Chinese loss may be computed
at over 100 killed and 400 wounded, max
ing a total Of 500. The japanese loss in
the second fight was a little over, 20
wounded. Mai. HashimotO was slightly
wounded in the leg, but he went on fight
ing and refused medical attention until
the battle was over. Several Chinese
were taken prisoners. The Chinese
wounded begged for their lives with
clasped hands.
The Chinese general Che is a noted of
fcer under Ii Hung Chang and is well
known among Europeans for his success
full suppression of the mounted brigands
Of Manchuria. The general cannot es-
cape responsibility for the defeat at Seik-
wan. His behavior on this occasion ut
terly shows him to be a man of no great
military ~attainments, for when the Jap
anese troops attacked his camp he de-
serted, threw away his uniform as an in
cumbrance to fight. and left behind the
papers which, as a general, he should
never nave allowed to leave his side. 1t
is not known where Gen. Che has fled.
Leaving the camp under the care of a
small detachment the main body began
to pursue the running enemy, another de-
achment having already been sent from
the first to oppose the retreat. Until
after ; O'Clock in the afternoon the noise
Of the artillery was heard without inter
ruption, causing the death of more than
800 Chinese. Another detachment was
dispatched toward Asan under the com
mand of IilutJNOl Takpda soon after
the fall Of Song Wan. The advance guard
reached Asan at 3 o'clock in the same
afternoon, but only to find that the Chi
nese were all gone. AT noon of the 31st
the main body joined the advance guard
ct Asan and encamped in the quarters
deserted by the Chinese. The arms, am
munition and provisions We're plentiful
enough to load more than ten Japanese
junks. This was done promptly and it
was arranged that, reloaded on bigger
Corean vessels at Paikdujan, situated on
the Gulf of Max Yang, the prizes should
he TRANSMITTED to ChemulnO The Chinese