Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-08

The despatch of Gen. Chaffee, writ
ten before the battle of Sunday con-
firms the dispatches received at the
navy department yesterday, and also
the press dispatches received to-day
concerning the attack on the Chinese
at Peitsang. Gen. Chaffee's despatch,
dated Friday, was not sent from Chefoo
until to-day, an inexplicable delay. The
most interesting feature of the des-
patch is the information regarding the
positions of the Chinese army and the
fact that the advance upon Pekin is
made by two columns, one on each
side of the Pei river The information
al force, as given by Gen. Chaffee,
would aggregate about $4,000 men,
while the other dispatches say $4,000,
but this difference can easily be ac-
counted for, as more men might have
been available when the movement be-
gan than when the conference was
held on the 3rd instant. This confer
ence is supposed to have been among
the several commanders present at
eign commanders do not underestim-
ate the task which they have before
them, as the despatch shows that
A Thorough Reconnaissance
OF the Chinese position had been made,
and that even before the advance of
the international force from Tien
Tsin the commanders were in posses
sion of full information relative to the
Chinese position. This is one of the
most welcome features of the dispatch,
as it proves conclusively that the in
ternational column did not blunder
upon an intrenched position of the enc
my. According to the War Depart
ment map, the town of Pei Tsang COW
ers both sides OF the river. but the
main portion is on the left side where
the japanese, English and American
forces had arranged, according to Gen.
Chaffee's dispatch, to attack the enc
my in flank The left of the Chinese
on the other side of the river, accord
ing to the dispatch, was partially pro-
tected by flooded ground, and practic-
ally unassailable for that reason. Ac-
cording to the map there is a lake
five miles from the river at this point
and the ground may have been flooded
from this lake through the dykes and
canals, which gridiron the country
there about. The Russian and French
forces were to attack the enemy's left
on the right bank OF the river be-
tween the river and railroad. This
makes it probable that
The Flooded District
only extended to the line of the rail-
road which at this point is about a
mile and a half from the river.
Gen. Chaffees despatch also shows
another important feature OF the plan
Of campaign agreed upon by the in
lernational commanders. 1t is that the
present objective point of the column
Is Yangstun. This is a town about fif-
.een miles beyond Peitsang. at the
point where the railroad crosse the
Pei river from the right on the way to
Pekin Once in possession of this
point, the international force would
have both the railroad and river in
its rear for keeping open communica-
ton with Yien Ysin. 1t naturally would
become the advance base from which
the operations on Pekin could be pro-
JSStNA- AZ buiS punt GIle river NPofS
to the right, and from it the column
would have to move overland along
the line of the railroad. The Chinese
evidently are as much impressed with
the Strategic Advantages
Of Yangtsun as the international COM
Nanders themselves, as Gen. Chaffee
Gays in his cable that the enemy is
reported thirty thousand strong at the
crossing of the road over the Pei river.
Without doubt after the fight at Petit
sang, the Chinese force there. if the
report OF Admiral Remey that it was
forced TO retreat, proves correct, re-
tired TO Yangtsun. There is no infor-
nation as to the number of the enemy
which met the advance at Peitsang,
out judging from the casualties to the
International force, it must have been
large and may perhaps double the
Chinese army which the column must
encounter when it reaches Yangtsun.
The general feeling at the War De-
partmnt is that unless the Chinese gem
erals have been completely demoraliz-
ed by the Peitsang attack, there is very
severe lighting ahead for the inter-
national forces. and that the ground
will be disputed all the way to Pekin.