The sun., 1895-01-20
The Fighting OF 1t.

celebrating her victories over China, and
she celebrates well, since nearly all the
laurels of the contest have fallen to her.
Yet It has been a war singularly lacking in
battles of the first class. The naval engage
ment of the Yalu was really great en-
counter; but most of the land fights would
have ranked as little more than skirmishes
in our war. We read sometimes Of des-
perate charges and stubborn defences that
might seem to belong to an Antietam or a
Gettysburg; but the story winds up with a
tally of n dozen or a hundred killed or
wounded on each side
Take, for example, Count OYAMA's cam
paign with the Japanese Second Army
Corps Leaving Hiroshima. he landed about
forty miles north of Port Arthur, on the
gath Of October, and proceeded toward
that stronghold. His first battle was at
Kinchow, fought by the First Brigade
against perhaps l., 100 or 200 Chinese. The
estimate of the Chinese loss was 20 or 30;
that of the Japanese still less. Then follow
ed the battle of Talen Wan. The Chinese
are said to have been $3.50 strong, in six
forts, mounting eighty guns, and the Japan
ese had two divisions present An unofficial
and ten wounded and the Chinese loss as
fifty. OYAMA's own report makes the Jap
anese loss ten, and the enemy's inconsider-
able" We do not underrate the strategic
advantage gained at Talien Wan, for it
opened the way to the great objective point
of the campaign; but the fighting was triv-
ial compared with what the case called for.
Port Arthur being reached, we had strik-
ing accounts of the three days of terrific
fighting that caused 1t to succumb. The
place had been spoken Of as sort OF Gibral-
tar, defended by the flower Of the Chinese
army. On the first day came Il lombard
ment with nearly 100 guns, and then
range of low hills was carried with a rush.
On Nov. 21, according to OYAMA's official
report the right division stormed and cap
tured fort in it's front and then car
ried by assault Fort Kokinsar. Mean
while the left division carried q fort
southeast of Hachaviso. On the third
day, without respite from the arduous
work, the two divisions captured "all the
other forts' The victor adds that 1.-THE
enemy fought bravely throughout the at
tacks," and closes by observing that the
number of the Japanese killed and wounded
exceeds 2O0." Admiral CARPENTERS de-
spatch puts the Japanese force at about
5000 and the Chinese at about 5000 in
this affair The Chinese loss is somewhat
uncertain, the garrison escaping
Marshal YAMAGATA's previous campaign
further south, with the First Army Corps,
offers similar suggestions. 1t was thor
oughly successful, like OYAMA's; but the
only combats rating much above a skirmish
were at Ping Yang. One of the first battles
of the war was at Kasan, in August. The
Japanese credit the Chinese with a loss of
"2OO killed and 200 wounded" evidently
round numbers, out Of $500 engaged; but
their own loss they put at 75, or accord
ing to one account, 32 killed and
80 wounded. When Count YAMAGATA
afterward arrived he fought well-con-
trived pitched battle at Ping Yang, his
three columns combining against the Chi
nese army, on Sept. 16, and completely de-
feating it. Gen. NoDzU gave the Japanese
loss as " l l officers and 154 mer killed; 80
officers and 521 men wounded, y besides 40
whose fate was unknown. At utmost the
japanese loss in this greatest land battle of
the war, or series Of desperate battles, rs
one account put it, was therefore 755, al
though strong works had to be carried. The
Chinese put their loss at 9 900; but 1t seems
that most Of their army, estimated at 60
600, threw down their arms 1t is said that
II 500 unwounded prisoners were captured.
The japanese reported that of the remainder
1000 were killed, but another account
gives g, 900 killed and wounded. The Japan
ese were the more numerous, perhaps 3O,-
600 to "a 900 strong.
About six weeks later the First Army
Corps undertook the crossing Of the Yalu,
timing itself admirably with the landing of
the Second Army Corps above Port Arthur,
the two movements thus cooperating. Gen.
NoDzU moved his troops over without diff
ficulty, and the advance fought the enemy,
estimated at $500, at Fushang. The
Chinese loss was reported to be lover 200
killed." and the Japanese to be 20 killed
and SO wounded. This proved to be the
decisive encounter, since on the march of
the main army to Chen-Lien- Tching, ian
important stronghold" the Chinese, reck-
oned at 5000 or 10000, fell back without
fighting.
Coming to later period we received about
fortnight ago the details OF a battle at
Kung- -Wa-Sui, which had been fought
with great obstinacy," the Japanese charges
upon the strong intrenchments being re-
pulsed with heavy loss, until reserves came
up and carried all before them. The Jap
anese loss was reported to be $50 killed and
wounded, while that of the Chinese was
supposed to be 300. Finally. the Japanese
say that last Thursday they repulsed $4,000
Chinese, with loss of 900, their own being
killed and 40 wounded.
Now II we turn to the records of our civil
war we find the Union losses at Gettysburg,
according to Col. w. F. Fox, who has made
special study Of this subject, to be 1910
killed, ID, ,497 wounded, and 5,434 missing,
making total Of e3 3,001; at Spottsylvania,
2,725 killed. l3,4l6 wounded, and 9,25s
missing; at the Wilderness, 2,246 killed,
12,o37 wounded, and 81 ,3S3 missing; at An
tietam, not including South Mountain,
2, lOS killed, 9,540 wounded, and 753 miss
ing; at Charlottesville, ,606 killed, 9.762
wnundad and OI9 missing. SeVen DaVs'