The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-10
DEFEAT AT PING YANG.
Chinese Reverses Due to the BIund-
erS of Generals.

erS or GENERALS.
Causes of the Chinese defeat at Ping
Yang are given in a recent issue of the
North China Herald as follows: The fol-
lowing letter, dated Chiuiiench ENG on the
Yalo 3, 18th October. has been received in
Shanghai from an educated Chinese, who
has been with the advanced Chinese army
ever since their entrance upon Korean ter
Titory, but whose means of mailing his
letters have been very scarce, this letter
coming by the hands of a returned Chinese
official from the front:
The loss of Korea to China. and especial
ly the rout at Ping Yang on the 10Th of
September, must be especially aseribed TO
General Wei JG-kuei, of the Sheng DiviS-
ion, and to General Yeh Chih-chao as
secondary cause. When in the first days
of August last the imperial edict went
forth declaring war against Japan, the
Chinese and Manchu generals in Chill,
Fengtien and Kirin received orders to lead
their forces into Korean territory via the
YaloO River and Ping Yang.
The first to march his men southeast, In
compliance with these orders. was the
late General Tso Pao-kuei of Moukden
and the officers commanding at Port Ar
thur and Talienhwan. Then succeeded
The Sheng division Of Tientsin. under
General Wei Ju-kuei, 5000 strong, and the
Kirin (Manchu) troops, consisting of some
5000 cavalry under the Tartar General
Ting An. When the first division of the
Chinese front" army under General ESQ
Pao-kuei arrived on the southern banks of
the YalOo. in sight of YichGw, on the 10th
of August, they were met by an enthusi-
astic crowd of Koreans, who hailed the
arrival of their deliverers from the
heavenly" empire with delight. Pro-
visions came flowing In from the country
round about
General Tso Paokuei offered 10 pay for
everything his men took or ate, and or
dered the secretariar of his corps to have
the money ready for that purpose. But
the Koreans refused TO receive a cent, and
General TSO and his men, in their graft
tude for the kind treatment they were re-
ceiving, vowed to do their best to drive
the enemy of this loyal people into the
sea. But change came ten days later,
when the Krin troops (Mancbu cavalry
crossed into Korean territory, followed
closely in their wake by the erstwhile
famous battalions of the Sheng Division,
led by General Wei Ju-Kuei, a native of
Anhui, and a fellow-townsman of the
Viceroy Ii Hung Chang. No sooner had
these men received the same welcome at
the hands of the people they had come to
protect than these ruffians actually thought
that this was only their due and broke
the cups, the contents Of which they
had just been par aking of, by dashiDg
them on the ground and then leaving the
irhF
unnoticed, but other outrages were added
and general exodus was proclaimed. and,
despite the promises of the commanders
of the better disciplined regiments and the
local Korean authorities. the whole coun-
try within distance of thirty miles of the
Chinese line of march and final encamp-
ment at Pinyang, was deserted by the in
babitants. In consequence of this the
Chinese army had to hurry up their own
supplies, while the Korean mandarins had
TO go hundred miles inland for the pur-
pose of getting food for their unrul y
guests. At first, it must be confessed, the
men of the Sheng Division did not behave
themselves so badly as the ''Sitan" regi-
ments of Kirin cavalry, who had not been
given a cash of pay for the past seven
months, and with no cOmmissariat were
compelled to subsist how they could. The
Sheng Division had been paid month in
advance by their general upon starting
from Tientsin. when they really ought to
have been given three months pay.
While this money lasted. although thers
were isolated cases of characterization and
pillage, the majority of the men of the
Sheng Division, having their wants pro-
vided for. were in the main peacea bly, in
clined toward the Koreans. But whel no
more money was forthcoming, the sol.
diers became insubordinate, and COM
menced joining the Kirin brigands in their
depredations upon the country, regardless
OF nationality.
Before this deplorable state of affairs,
the Sheng Division has assisted General
Tso Pao-kuei's Fengtien troops in attack
ing the Japanese outposts beyond Ping
yang Inlet, near Chungho, a walled city
where strong body of the enemy had en-
trenched themselves. After a brilliant
fight on the 18Th of August the city of
Chungho was taken. and. elated by
his success. General Wei boosted
he would drive the enemy into the
sea. Here tbs Yashan troops under
Generals Yeh and Mich Joined the
army at Pingyang having, thanks to
friendly Coreans, successfully accom-
plished their retreat from Yashau CON-
menced six weeks before. They were a
hungry set of men, and there being no
proper commissariat. the men simply sub
sisted on the country. General Men being
a subordinate could do nothing, and as for
General Yeh, safe once more. he plunged
into dissipation. Despite the remonstran-
ces of Generals Tso Pao-kuei, Ma Yu-kun,
and Mich, advising the fertilization Of GER
tain points commanding the city OF Ping
yang there being quite number OF field
and mountain guns in the improvised ord
nance department, and their ammunition
ready for use, Yeh, whom an Imperial de-
cree had made chief in command at Ping
yang. refused to listen to them, declaring
that since Chungho seventeen miles south
of Pingyang) was in their hands. il was
only necessary to hold that city stoutly. as