The sun., 1894-10-22
C0REAN BATTLE FIELDS.
FURTHER DETAILS or THE GREAT
FIGHT At PING-rANG.
CeIsrity with which the Japanese SUR
rounded the Entrenched Chinese-ChInn's
Losses since the war Begas-The Eun-
peror's Decree neerading ~ Hung Chsng


morning, brings details OF interest from the
scene Of war. The correspondent OF the china
Gdzete teleeraphed TO his paper ms follows in
reference to the battle at Ping-YanR
II Just reached the front In time TO record the
first serious fighting between the opposing ar
mics, which had been lying opposite each other
for several days. The Chinese were well
entrenohed in S8nGchh0n SamdeunR, and
Chunghwa. but most strongly Of all at Ping
Yang, where 10000 OF their best troops occupied
most advantageous position. They had been
fortlfying the place and adding to It's natural
strength for weeks past. On the llth and
18th inst, Samdeung, Chunghwa and Song
chhbn were occupied after some resistance,
and HwanRiu, town south OF the
River Tatung, and from which this message
IL dated. was also taken. But Ping-Iang, the
present objective point, remained in possession
OF the Chinese. On the 18th inst. the Japanese
main army, aftor crossing the river on the pre-
vIous day advanced. and general attack was
made upon the chief Chinese stronghold, the
last In Corea. good deal Of resistance
was met with. The Chinese had the advantage
OF fighting behind protected earthworks and
bastions, but after n series of desperate battles
they were driven from their defences and utterly
routed. The Japanese, who fought with splen-
did determination and gallantry, won com
pete victory.
1.-THE siege lasted nearly all day and night Of
the 10th. and IL not until the morning OF
the 18th that the victors took undisputed pos
session of the town. Of the 10000 picked
Chinese troops who formed tho garrison. many
fed before the enemy entered tho town. The
rest were either killed. wounded, or taken pris-
oners. Among those captured was Gen. Tso.
The amount Of arms provisions, and stores
taken was immense. The Japanese loss In killed |
and wounded was about 800. No estimate
has yet been made OF the Chinese loss. The |
road to China is now OPEN"
Gen. Yamagata sent the following report Of |
the battle TO headquarters at Hiroshima:
"Col. Satos force from Gensan marched from |
S6ughchh0n, Major-Gen. Tatemi's force from |
Bakudenten, Major-Gen. Oshimas brigade from |
the Gishu Road, and Lieut.-Col. Nozus's main |
body crossed tho Tatung River and went up the |
right bank. all toward Ping Yang. On the 9th |
these bodies surrounded the city on all sides
and commenced the attack. According to
Major-Gen. Oshimas report, the greater part of
the enemy were encamped IN Ping-Yang It.
self and on both sides OF IL. A small portion
at Senkori Ton the right bank. and had
constructed pontoon across the river. Judg-
ing from the result OF the attack, the enemy's
cannon must have been less than twenty. Ac-
eordng to natives, the encmy's strength was
about 10000.
Tho main body was slightly delayed in
crossing tho river. and in the attack the
18th over 100 horsemen were killed. but the re-
suit of the attack that day not
complete. The attack resumed on
the morning of the 10th. Major-Gen-
tral Oshimas brigade had six officers killed
and twelve or thirteen wounded, while over 800
of the subalterns and privates were killed and
wounded and the ammunition also began to
fail the brigade was compelled to deslst from
the attack. The battle In other directions, now
ever, was in our favor, and at about A. NJ. |
Ping-Yang fell completely into our hands. A
1
Tso. their commander. were either killed. |
wounded, or taken prisoners, and very large
quantities of ammunition and provisions fell
into our hands.
Advices are said to have been received by the |
japanese Government from Shanghai saying
that the French Minister at Pekin has again
made demand for reparation for the murder
of the French missionary. Pere Jozeau, in Corea |
by Chinese troops. 1t will be remembered that
the Chinese Government pretended that the
murder had been committed by Japanese fugi-
tives, and therefore China was not responsible
for the outrage. A telegram received by the |
Japanese Government says:
"The French Minister has received positive
information as to the result OF the second inves-
tigation by officers of the French men-of-war at
Kunsan. Corea, that the murderers OF the French
missionary were Chinese. The Minister has
changed his former course and opened interna-
tionaI negotiations. He has demanded of Ii
Stipulated aIT peoa Hung % Chang RowS1sR @snR has
requested an extension Of the period on the plea
war that he cannot make the necessary investi-
CATION"
thus At Song -Hwan. 500 killed and wounded :
drowned at the sinking OF the Kowching, LOO;
the capture @ OF Ping Yang s6s5; lost in the Lai,
Yuen, eoa; IN the Chin Yuen, 2o2: in the Tshao- =
the "S rsso- Kiang, @ iS5 otherwise Killed ad and
SSoundedi GOoi wounded at M PiPS,Yapa, @ 1000. C
4. 600 TO 1000 and her loss at sea fully I,4Oo.
Il is said by native Chinese newspapers that y
ton, but the Emperor and Empress Dowsgsr c
and refused to listen to It, ', o''' Q
From telegram concerning the battle OF the y
10th IL is evident that ON the Japanese side the .
stoutest fighter was Major-tien. 0shima When =
the General was about to cross the river the
the Japanese; The General left enough men % !,
%santms, took the ,o.uad main body down the
eof eommenced their attack. The Chinese were |Te
taken by surprise but fought desperately; In p
the enemy's left aud rear. These were the "
on sdes and afsT Soars
g taeS h wsre yru eRRmIPete RIrpE routed They fed
their captors after they had been taken; Among a
onsy aImy al Ping Yang We're aOoS Tents aoeo
rifles, and /, 700 horses u
The China Gazette believes there Is now no =
doubt that Admiral Ting has suffered degrada- ~
Mons at the hands of the Emperor. IL is aston -
Ishing how indifferent the Chinese were TO \;
Their defeat at Ping Yang was T.
due partly IN the want of skill in their com IL
manders and of bravery in the men. hut their
utter confusion and defeat assured by the
liensan column crossing the Tulung and attack
Ing them on the left. They were completely ig-
nOrans OF the approach OF the Gensan column. p
The skill shown in the cOnvergence OF the | cI
iensan body with the three other columns, and 81
heir opening hre at the same time, was a tri- | O.
lmph OF mobilization. In the Ciensan column | N
was Capt kaizu. He was for long time on the
retired list but being restored 10 active service
IN account of the present war, he was drafted |
Dn the Gensan column. He has the most minute |
knowledge OF the geography OF COrea. The ra- | II
pidity with which the army marched along the | ~
lifficult Gensan road and the celebrity with | =
which IL attacked the Chinese on the left hank
must in a great degree be attributed 10 the Can
.HpHa ~