The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-10-23
the Hakubun Kan Publishing com
GRAND DUKE r1ICHAEL.

the Hakubun Kan Publishing company
of Toxic. Mr.. Some is on his way to
London and Berlin. He is in private
business, but arms and munitions OF
war are to be obtained in those cap
itals.
Following the story of the Corean re-
belion and the sending OF Chinese and
Japanese troops into the Hermit king
dom, is the following account OF the
first land battle:
Asam was not the first bloody meet
ing of the nations. Spears and swords
had dripped with coolie gore before that
sanguinary struggle. The first real
fight of the war was at Anio ferry on
July 2Sth. Csptsin Matzsaki and Cap.
tain Tokiyama were killed there.
The Japanese decided to attack the
Chinese by night, but only the officers
knew the orders. The soldiers we're
ordered to prepare for action and rested
on their arms. The night of the 2Sth
had begun and the clouds covered the
skies and the darkness WAS like pail.
At midnight the Japanese force was
ordered to advance to the attack. Abso-
lutte silence was enforced. At IL 80 the
army moved, the left wing leading.
When near the Chinese. line of battle
was formed and the right wing began
the engagement.
The commander Of the right wing was
Captain Matzsaki. One point of his
division left Some and within half hour
crossed river knee.deep and after q
like interval waded another etream,
shoulder deep and soft at the bottom, 20
feet wide, over which there had been a
fine bridge which the Chinese, in re-
treating, had half destroyed.
Beyond the river the enemy had made
o camp, but had not ielt secure, and the
watchful sentries gsve the alarm when
the Japanese were yet some distance
removed. tall fellow gave the alarm
by shouting. The Japanese soldiery
would not be denied, but rushed eagerly
into fighting distance and piled their
rifles with skill and deadly effect.
The old feud with China was remem-
bered and every soldier Of Japan fought
as though he was alone to answer for
the rebuke of the encroaching Chinese
empire. The Japanese were few. but
they were brave, and the vast horde of
Chinese and coolies melted before the
onslaught. Hardly one oil the Chinese
force made fair resistance. and the
petty command of Japanese swept over
the field, manning and killing in the
| flush OF victorious effort.
The Japanese knew they we're going
up to AsRm. 1t was dark, the road was
unknown to the assaulting party, and
ponds and marshes were around, into
which the soldiers sank and some were
| drowned, Captain Tokiyama and 20 of
his men meeting that fate like brave
men and Japanese. Those who we're
| n od In ord
carrying all before them, until troop
Captain Matzsaki tried to force q way
through the horse troops. He drew his
sword and was in the lead men a bull
let pierced him in the thigh. He did
not lose heart, but using his sword as q
probe, he extracted the bullet and
rushed on in the fighting. Another ball
pierced his head. He cried out and fell
dead at the hoofs of his horse.
His soldiers went on to avenge him
and spared neither men nor horses, but
slaughtered all alike, until 20 Chinese
| soldiers had been stricken down. Fight
| ing began at 3 q. m. and continued for 80
minutes before the cloud OF Chinese dis
sipated before the soldiery OF the mi
| kedo.
When the command had been gath
cred after the skirmish. it started on to-
( ward Asam and marched in peace un-
til July Goth, when the advance of the
lefs wing, commanded by General
| Oshima. went up against the right wing
Of the Chinese army, which was en-
! trenched in the fort OF Saikan. The
Japanese fred on the fort and were
answered briskly with small arms. Bull
lets came like floating etars, covering
the skies, and making the noise, "shen.
shen." Both parties fought very hard.
The Japanese right wing came from the
Anjo Jerry and attacked the fret en-
trenchment OF the left wing OF the Chi
nese. Suddenly smoke covered all the
earth. The crying and whizzing OF the
bullets and the shoutn of the eager sol
diers, Joined with the roar of musketry
were like the noine when the mountains
and the hills are rolled together and
destroyed.
The Japanese left wing began to uss
its field pieceH, snd did not once lail Il
hit the fort OF the Chinese, who criet
so much that their assailRnts knew grea
execution wac bsina d,ne. At tina saDc1