Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-09-19
SLAUGHTERED BY JAPS.
Sixteen Thousand Chinese Soldiers
Killed or Wounded in
q Battle.


London, Sept ia bloody battle has
been fought at Ping Yang between the
| Chinese and Japanese forces. The former
were routed with fearful slaughter and
| the forts all fell into the hands of the
! Japanese. The Chinese loss is 10000.
while the killed and wounded of the Jap
anese was but 300 This victory places
the entire main land of COrea in the
hands of the Japanese and the war in
| that section is practically at an end
During the evening of Thursday last 4
japanese column from Pong San made a
reconnaissance in force, drawing the fire
| of the Chinese forts and aScertaining ac-
! curately their position. This done the Jap
| aneSe fell back in good order with little
loss. On Friday night the Japanese forces
were in position for a combined attack
| The Gen San column was threatening the
chinese left flank. The Pong San col
umn was facing the Chinese center and
the Hwang Zu column was operating on
the Chinese right The latter column had
been reinforced the day before by a de-
tach1nent of marines and bluejacketS from
the fleet stationed at the mouth of the Ia
Tong river The Chinese utilized their
| old defenseS at Ping Yang and had
thrown up new works, with the result
that their position was exceptionally
| strong.
The battle opened on Saturday morn
ing at daybreak with a direct cannonade
upon the Chinese woSks, and this fire
was continued without cessation I'M
til after noon. The Chinese fought their
guns well, replying effectively to the
Japanese fire. At p. m. body of
japanese infantry was thrown forward
IN sklrmlsh order and kept up q rifle fire
upon the enemy until dusk. All the fight
ing during the day was done by the Pong
San column. The Chinese defenses suf-
fered exceedingly from the Japanese fire.
but it is doubtful if the losses on either
side were great, as the troops of the
Chinese and Japanese took every advan-
tage possible of the shelter which the
earthwOrks on one side and the nature of
the ground on the other afforded them
The flank attacks upon the Chinese post
did not develop any material advantage
during the day, although the Japanese
gained some In the position. But they
mainly occupied the same ground at night
as when the attack upon the enemy was
opened. The firing was continued at in
ter7als throughout the night
In the meantime two fanking columns
of Japanese drew a Gordon around the
Chinese troops and at 3 o'clock in the
morning the Japanese attack was deiy-
cred simultaneously and with admirable
precision. The Chinese lines, which were
strong in 'front.' were found to be weak
in the rear, and the Chinese, utterly I'M
suspicious of the Japanese attack from
that quarter, were taken completely by
surprise and became panic-stricken and
were cut down and bayOnetted by the
hundreds. SO well was the Japanese at
tack directed that the Chinese were sur
rounded at every point and eventually
sought safety in flight. Defending the
entrenchment, however, were some of
Viceroy Ii Hung Changes picked Chinese
troops, drilled by Europeans. These sol
diers made a determined stand to the
last and were cut down to a man. The
Pong San column swarning over the
damaged defenses of the Chinese front,
completed the route of the Chinese and
the whole Of the latter's position was
captured by troops of the Mikado.
Some idea of the manner in which the
Japanese attack was delivered may be
judged from the fact that One-haf an
hour after the early morning attack COM
menced the strongly defended position of
Ping Yang was in the hands of the
Japanese troops. 1t is believed that the
Chinese position of Ping Yang was de-
Tended by 10000 Chinese, of whom only
a few succeeded in escaping The Jap
anese victory was brilliant and complete.
An immense amount of provisions, arms,
ammunition and other stores in addition to
hundreds of flags were captured by the
Japanese In the Chinese camps and en-
trenchments. 1t is estimated that the
Chinese lost 10000 men killed wounded
and prisoners. Among the captured Chi
neSe were several of the most prominent
commanding officers of the Chinese troops
in Corea, only few of the Chinese com
manderS succeeding III escaping, and
these got away almost Immediately after
the Japanese made their attack upon
the Chinese rear. Among the Chinese
commanders taken prisoners was Gen.
Tso Fonk-Wai, the commanderin-chief
of the Manchurian army, who fought
desperately to the last and who only yield
ed when he was badly wounded.
The Japanese loss was trifing when
compared with that of the Chinese only
80 Japanese being killed and 30 wound
ed Eleven Japanese officers are Includ-
ed in these numbers. The loss of the
Japanese was incurred mainly during
the first days fighting. The loss of the
Japanese during the night attack was very
small, due to the fact that the Chinese
taken by surprise became panic-stricken,
threw away their arms and fled, thus
throwing into confusion the regiments
which otherwise might have been counted
upon to make better stand. The Japan
csc, when this dispatch was sent were
in active pursuit of the fugitive Chinese
and as nearly all of the latter were with
out arms, having thrown them away dur
ing the panic, they will undoubtedly sur
render so soon as the japanese OveFtake
them.
SO far as the active operations Of the
Chinese in Corea are concerned the war
Is pFdCtlcally at dh eL1' Iof q ioHS Ilhe
to come and the mainland of COrea may
be said to be completely in the hands of
the Japanese The Coreans who have
shown sympathy with the Chinese and
few detached bands of Chinese troops
may continue guerilla warfare for some
time to come; but until China succeeds
in getting another army into Corea that
country viii remain in the undisturbed
possession Of Japan. And in view of pre-
viOuS reports received as to the terrible
condition of the roads in the north and
the utter impossibility of moving guns
and supplies southwark, it is not unlikely
that there will be any fighting of inn
portance 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 negotia-