The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-09-18
DECISIVE Battle AT piNGYANG.
Sixteen Thousand Pigtailed soldiers
Not Shot Are Prisoners.
ms Enas the War SO Far 80 Korea is
Concerned. the Japanese Reiag in
Complete Pesssssioa-C China's Best

/ drawing the tire Of the Chinese forts and
ascerfalaing accurately the disposition of
/ their forces. This done, the Japanese fell
1 hack IA good order with little loss. on
/ Friday night all the Japanese eorps we're
/ In position for combined attack. One
1 general column was threatening the Chi
/ nese left Hank; the Pangsan column Was
/ facing the Chinese center and the Hwanxu
/ column was operating on the Chinese
/ right. The latter column was reinforced
before the fight by detachment of
/ marines and blu~iaekets from the fleets
| stationed ut the mouth of the Tafung
| river. The Chinese utilized their old de-
lenses at Pingyang and threw up new
works and their position was exception
| ally strong. The battle was opened Satnr-
| day morning Al day ybreak with direct can
nonade upon the Chinese works. aud
| this fire was continued without ces-
| sation until after noon. The Chr
| nese fought their guns we'll, reply
| ing effectively to the Japanese fire.
| AT =. m. body OF Japanese infantry
| was thrown forward in skirmish order,
and kept up rifle ire upon the enemy
until dusk. All the tghting during the
| day WAS done by the Pangsan column.
| The Chinese defenses suffered severely
from the Japanese fire. but IL Is doubtful
| If the losses on either side were great. as
the troops of both the Chinese and Japan
ese took advantage of every possible shell
| ter which the earthworks on one side and
| the nature of the ground on the other
| afforded. Flank attacks upon the Chinese
| post did not develop material advantage
| during the day. although the Japanese
| gained some in position. The flring vas
| continued at intervals throughout the
| night. The two main hanking columns
| of the Japanese drew a Gordon around the
| Chinese troops. and at 3 o'clock in tho
morning the Japanese attacked stimuli
taneously and with admirable precision.
| The Chinese, utterly unsuspicious
| of the Japanese attack from the
rear. became panie-strieken. and
were cut down and bayoneted by hun
| dreds. So we'll was the Japanese attack
| directed that the Chinese were surrounded
at every point and eventually sought
safety in flight. Defending the entrench-
ment were come of Viceroy Ii Hung
| Chang's picked Chinese troops. drilled by
/ Europeans. These soldiers made de-
termined stand TO the last. and we're cut
| down 90 q man. The Pangsan column,
swarming over the damaged dcfensss Of
the Chinese fort, completed the rout Of the
| Chinese. and the whole position was cap
tured by the troops Of the Mikado. Half
an hour after the early morning attack
was commenced. the strongly defended
position of Pingyang was in the hands of
| the Japanese troops. 1t is believed that
the Chinese position at Pingyang was de-
Tended by 10000 Chinese. of whom only q
| few escaped. An immense amount of pro-
| visions, ammunition. arms and other
stores, In addition TO 100 tlags, were cap
| tured by the japanese.
| Ii is estimated that the Chinese lost
| 400 men killed. wounded and prisoners.
Among the captured Chinese are several
| of the most prominent commanding offi-
GERS Of the Chinese troops in Korea. Only
a few of the Chinese commanders sue
ceeded in escaping, and these got away
| almost Immediately after the japanese
made the attack upon the Chinese rear
1 Among the Chinese commanders who
were taken prisoners was Gen. Tso Fonk
Wal. commander-in-chief OF the Man
| churian army. who fought desperately TO
| the last aud only yielded after being badly
wounded. Only thirty Japanese were
killed and go wounded, including eleven
| japanese officers The japanese are In
active pursuit Of the fugitive Chinese,
and as nearly all the latter were without
arms they will undoubtedly surrender as
soon as the japanese oyertake them.
As far as the active operations of the
| Chinese In Korea are concerned the war Is
| practically at an end. Unless the Koreans
/ who have shown sympathy with the Chi
nese aud few detached bands of the Chi
nese succeed in getting another army to
Korea. that country will remain ia the
| undisputed possession OF the Japanese,
and. in view OF previous reports received
as 20 the terrible condition OF the roads
| in the north and the utter impossibiiisy
| Of moving guns and supplies sonthward
IL Is not likely that there will be any more
| lighting o. Importance in Korea during
| the present year. Ii is hoped that the
/ victory may serve as q basis for peace me-
/ goiiations.
Losnos. sept. IA dispatch received
| today gives further details Of the capture
| of pingyang by the japanese. After the
/ place fell into the hands of tho japanese.
strong parties Of infantry and cavalry
were assigned 10 patrol the town. Search
was made ia the houses for Chinese sol
/ disrs and many were captured.
When the japanese troops made their
/ Lnhi Assault many OF fae chinese defend
/ ers threw their arms down and fed. panic
stricken. TO the valley northwarf. The
| japanese, however, controlled the entrance
/ to the valley, and the aeeing Chinese
/ found their retreat In this direction cut of.
| Whole regiments seeking TO escape were
thus compeiIed 10 surrender.
/ Il is nox stated that tbs total nun Der
/ killed will not exceed =. 391. The remain
| der OF the Chinese army, some rs 90 men,
| are either xoundsd or Ia the hands OF the
| Japanese, or are unhurs aud are prisoners
| oi war.
/ The emperor OF Japan teiegraphed his
| congratulations 10 the commanding officer
upon hrs victory. The feld marshal has
issued m order commanding the troops
| for their action. The japanese outnum-
/ besed the Chinese three TO one. The artil-
| iery vas also vastly superior 20 that Of he
| Chinese.
The japanese flying column is now
| pushing northxafd for the purpose Of
securing the passes and 1has preventing
! the Chinese army from marching wIthin
! Korea proclamation has been ISSUED
| promising protection 20 the Koreans as
| long as they refrain irom acts of hostility
10 the Japanese.
SHAasHAE. sept. iT--An elaborate sys.
tea. Of espionage has been maintained for