The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-12-26
BARBAROUS WARFARE.
JAPANESE. SLAY DEFENCELESS CHI
NEsE UNMERclFULLY.

Against Observation-Disclosures Seem to
Have ReIapscd Into Bar3arisIn-Bravc
but Inefectual Defense of Port Arthur.
New YORK, Dec. 19.-Thc World
tomorrow will print the following
special advices from its correspondent,
James Creeman, who was with the
japanese army, dated Port Arthur,
November Il, via Vancouver, Decem-
10: THE struggle for the emancipa
ton of Corea has been suddenly turn
ed into a headlong, savage war of
conquest It. is no longer a conflict
between civilization and barbarism.
Japan for the last four days has tram
pied civilization under the feet Of her
conquering army. The taking Of Port
Arthur andsthe possession Of one of
the most powerful strongholds in the
world was too great q strain upon the
japanese character which .relapssd in
a few hours back into the brutal state
from which it was avakened. Almost
the entire population of Port Arthur
has been massacred and the work Of
butchering in the Unarmed and IN
resisting inhabitants has been continu-
ed day after day, until the streets are
choAed up with mutilated corpses.
In spite of the vastness Of the battle
field and the strength of the batteries
massed in this mighty chain of land
and sea forts, the taking of Port-Arthur
isrobbed of its dignity as battle by
the fact that a large and well trained
army attacked mere rabble. There
was great deal OF artillery thunder
and scientific man9uvers of the troops
among the cannon.crowed hills, but
the infantry fighting was incidental
and the butchers bill, " as the hard
ened campaigner would call 1t, was in
significant. he,Japanese lost about
fifty dead and 250wounded in carrying
a fortress that would have cost them
10000 men had it been occupied by
European of American troops. China
is now at the mercy of the Island En-
pire. In.afew days the other troops
will be ready to leave Japan to, join
Field Marshal Oyana's army, and
then the third and final movement to-
wara Pekin will begin.
Up to the moment Port Arthur was
entered, I can bear witness Il none
of Japan 'sarmies now in the field were
anything but chivalous and generous
to the enemy. There was not 3 stain
on her flag. When we left Kinochow
on November II and began the march
on Port Arthur, the battery of thirty
siege guns was still foundering in the
rear, but General Hassagawa has ar
rived with the famous Komanoto
troops and the entire army of invasion
was Assem- bled, something like %, 600.
The main army moved on the mill
tary road skirtiag the Northern coast
of the Kwang Tung Peninsula and
connecting Kinchow with Port Arthur
The accommodating cavalry was four
or FIVE miles in advance of the mixed
brigade commanded by general Nishi,
which formed the vanguard. Then
came themain army with General
Yamaii, the ''One-eye Demon" Gen
eral Eohia and mixed brigade fol
lowed. Then: came Field Marshal
Oyama with bis staff. General Hasa
gawa with 5000 men formed the rear
guard. Three battalions Of infantry
were sent to protect Klnchow, and
one battalion was quartered IN the
seven captured forts of Tallenwan, SIX
miles away. In the whole force ad-
vancing upon Pert Arthur there were
seventy eight guns, including the
mountain and field batteries and the
delayed siege cannons.
News had been received from the
japanese spies regarding Port Arthur
and general plan of action was agreed
upon. The two battalions OF Ianlall's
infantry, one mountain battery and
small detachment of cavalry left the
the main road, under the command OF
Lieutenant Colonel Masumitsu and
made an independent left column
along the Southern coast road to attack
the most eastely seaports of Port Ar
thur at the time agreed upon for the
general assault. The main force was
10 move along the Northern road for
three days, so that it would reach the
valley next 10 Port Arthur on the
night of thei9th. The attack was to
be made at daybrake on the goth.
Meanwhile the strongest ships Of the
standing fleet moved slowly among
the coast in order to cooperate by a
sea attack upon the Chinese, should it
be possible, or at least to embarrasS
the sea forts and prevent them from
devoting their entire attention to the
land attacks.
The correspondent then relates the
details of skirnish between small
force of japanese and large body of
Chinese. The japanese lost eight
killed, and when the main body Of
the japanese cavalry came up they
found in the road terribly mutilated.
II saw the japanese dead on the
road with their hands gone and their
bodies mutilated. Several corpses
were without hands, two had been
carries like sheep, and theirhearts and
livers torn out. A japanese
horse had been killed and
the Chinese out steaks from the haun-
ches in the middle of the fight AS
the Japanese reinforcements began e
double-quick, the enemy disappeared
through the ravines into the Suishlyeh
Valley and returned to Port Arthur.
The next day. while council of war
was being held. the Chinese advanced
out of Port.Arthur, intending to dis
lodge the japanese batteries On the
hill, commanding the Chinese position.
Then began a tremendous artillery
6pht. Within few minutes regiment
after regiment could be seen
running in clouds of dust
across the head of the valley into
the ravine, leading to the support Of
the japanese artillery position. The
air was filed with shells and the
Chinese gradually concentrated their
fire, until the dust began to disappear
from the Western slope. The Chinese
columns marched out Of Port Arthur
in three columns. One descended