The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-08-08
THE WAR in CHINA.
First Battle of Allied Troops with tie
Chinese.

First Battle of Allied Troops with tie
Chinese.
WAsHlNGTON, Aug. G.-The follow
ing cablcgrams were today received at
the navy department:
CnEfou, Aug. @.
Bureau Navigation, Washingtcn
British officer reports. unofficial, en-
gagement ut Peitsang, Sunday morn
ing, three to 1890. Allied loss killed
and wounded 1,200 chiefly Russians
and Japanese. Chinese retreating.
TAUSSIG.
CHEfOO, Aug. 6.
Bureau Navigation, Washington:
Unofficial report believed reliable;
about 10000 allies heavily engaged Chi
nese at Peitsang daylight of the 9TH.
REMEY.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., August G.-Thc
big battle reported this morning be-
tween the allies and the Chinese forces
at Pietsang as having occurred Sunday,
is sufficient to cause the greatest alarm
to the officials here in Washington. 1t
shows too cOnclusively that our forces
will meet with tremendous resistance
IN their march towards Pckin. If they
continue to lose so heavily, they may
have to wait for reinforcements. The
administration Is beginning to see that
their preparations for the campaign
have been insufficient That our oiii-
cials have been too tartly is apparent
on every hand.
A total of twelve hundred killed and
wounded i'll heavy engagement of
seven and half hours is not cheerful,
prospect at this early stage Of the cam
paign. Pietsang is about twelve miles
from Pekin. While there are doubt
less errors Of judgment in the unotii-
cial report, and the losses may not be
so heavy as tilst thought, still our
| officials realize that the resistance to
the forward movement OH Pekin is
greater than was at ut first anticipated.
There is satisfaction, however, in the
fact that the Chinese were repulsed
and the first engagement of the advance
may weaken aud discourage them.
The fact that the Russians and Japan
ese were the principal lossers in the
fight in point of killed and wounded
discredits the story published Sunday
that the Russians were sulking.
1t is probable that on account Of the
difficulty General Chaffee had in un-
loading his troops and supplies the
| Americans were not we'll up to the
front. Yet it may be said that the re-
port>cf the battle coming from IN Eng
lish source would be particular only in
stating the very heavy loses. On the
other hand, had an American sent the
report he would have been more pre-
else in telling just what part our troops
took in the engagement. The allies
left Tien Tsin about Friday, as General
Chaf1ee suggested. There ls a great
difference of opinion there, causad by
conflicting reports, as to just how
many allies are advancing on Pekin.
The report that they aggregate about
$4,000 is not generally accepted. Con-
servatiye estimates place the number
at about $4,000.
Peitsang is at the head of the tide
water of the Pei Ho and the charts of
the war department show it is point
of particular stragetical advantage.
such ls might have been chosen by the
Chin se as the main point of resistance
of the. advance towards Pekin. The
troops encountered there, it isinferred,
are those which retreated from Tien
Tsin after their defeat Mt that place,
probably very greatly augmented by
the addition of regular and irregular
troops. Unless such crushing defeat
has been administered them at Peit-
Gang as will throw them into utter
Generalization, they will Rpobably
Pekin, making a stand at every advan-
tageOus point and pulling back when
compelled to. This undoubtedly is the
plan of the Chineee officer in command,
but it is not impr0bablI} and army Off
GERS here think it very likely that the
Chinese troops will be 30 demoralized
by defeat that l their heir resistance Of the
come very feeble and that long before
the relief column reaches Pekin, the
Chinese government will have become
sufficiently alarmed to be very eager to
make terms of peace.
There is great apprehension lest the
work Of butchery shall be completed
at Pekin.
1t is suggested that if the allied
losses by killed and wounded mt Piet-
sang amounted to 1 200 the loss on the
part Of the Chinese, who were defeat
cd, must have been terrible. 1t is re-
garded as entirely likely that such
punishment was inflicted upon them as
to throw them into q position of de-
moralization and confusion. Moreover,
the fact tnat the fighting lasted seven
hours aid q half at q point where it
must have been practically in the open,
indicates that the Chinese must have
beer in great force. The defeat there
fo!e indicated by the announcement
t'aat the Chinese are retreating. is
probably better organized fer that
1ight than for another engagement.
Nothing 10 sai1 uJUuI Americans in q
dispatch received by the navy depart
mant. and ND to today NOM liz Was