Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1900-08-08
OFFICIALS HIGHLY
GRkT|FIED WITH THE
PLAN OF CAMP AICN
Gen. Chafee's Dispatch Shows
That They Fully Realize
the Situation.
AN IMPORTANT FEATURE

knowledge of the Exact Location and
Strength of the Enemy Obtained Be-
fore the Attack-Yang Sang Will
Probably BE the Scene of the Next
Great BattIe-Its Importance.
WASHINGTON, Aug. THE dispatch
Of General Chaffee, written before the
battle of Sunday, confirms the dispatch
received at the navy department yester-
day and also the press dispatches re-
ceived today concerning the attack on
the Chinese at Pietsang. General Chat
fees dispatch dated Friday was not sent
from Che Foo until today, an inexplica-
BILE delay. The most interesting feature
of the dispatch is the information re-
garding the positions of the Chinese
army and the fact that the advance upon
Peking is made by two columns, one on
each side of the Pei-Ho river. The in
ternational force, as given by General
Chaffee, would aggregate about $4,000
men, while the other dispatches say 49,.
900, but this difference can easily be &C
been available when the movement be-
gan than when the conference was held
Aug. 3. This conference is supposed to
have been between the several COM
manders present at Tien Tsin.
Do Not Under Estimate Their Task.
1t is evident the foreign commanders
do not underestimate the task which
they have before them, as the dispatch
shows that thorough reconnaissance Of
the Chinese position had been made and
that evtl before the advance of the in
ternational force from Tien Tsin the
commanders were in possession of full
information relative to the Chinese posi-
ton. This Is one of the most welcome
features of the dispatch, as it proves
that the international column did not
blunder upon an intrenched position Of
the enemy.
According to the war department map
the town of Pietsang covers both sides
of the river. but the main portion of it
is on the left side where the japanese,
English and American forces had ar
ranged, according to General Chaffee's
dispatch, to attack the enemy in the
flank. The left of the Chinese on the
other side of the river was protected by
flooded ground and unassailable for that
reason. According to the map there is
lake miles from the river at this
point and the ground may have been
flooded from lakes through dykes and
canals which gridiron the country there
abouts.
The Russian and French forces were
to attack the enemy's left on the right
bank Of the river between the river and
the railroad. This makes it probable
that the flooded district only extended
to the line Of the railroad, which, at that
point, is about l % miles from the river.
Another Important Feature.
General Chaffee's dispatch also shows
another important feature Of the plan of
the campaign agreed upon by the interna-
tional commanders. It is expected that
the present objective point of the column
is Yang Tsun. Once in possession of
this point the international force would
have both the railroad and the river in
it's rear for keeping open communication
with Tien Tsin. It naturally would be-
come the advance base from which the
operations on Peking could be projected.
The Chinese evidently are as much
impressed with the advantages Of Yang
Tsun as the international commanders
themselves, as General Chaffee says III
his cable that the enemy is reported 3d.
900 strong at the crossing of the road
over the Pei-Ho river.
The general feeling at the war de-
partment is that unless the Chinese gen.
erals have been demoralized by the
Pietsang attack there is very severe
fighting ahead for the international
forces.