130 



CHINA. 



the war. Li-Hung-Chang repeatedly called upon 

 Lui- Ming -Chang, Governor of Formosa, the 

 most distinguished military commander of China, 

 to conduct the operations in Korea, but he de- 

 clined the honor, and so did Lui- Yung-Fa, 

 leaving the army in the field without a com- 

 mander in chief. The governors of the maritime 

 provinces prepared to defend their own ports, 

 but gave no aid to Li, who was also financially 

 crippled, as Chinese men of wealth would not 

 take even a loan of 1,000,000 yen, while the 

 Japanese Government had power to raise forced 

 loans in paper currency, and readily obtained 

 parliamentary authorizations and patriotic sub- 

 scriptions for a loan of 30,000,000 yen. 



The Korean Campaign. The Japanese 

 strategists were completing the military occupa- 

 tion of Korea during the progress of the diplo- 

 matic negotiations, landing about 10,000 troops 

 at Fusan, 3,000 at Gensan, near Port Lazareff, 

 and 30,000 altogether at Chemulpo, taking pos- 

 session of the main roads, crossings, and mili- 

 tary positions, building military telegraphs, and 

 transporting supplies and material to the de- 

 sired points by the labor of Korean and im- 

 ported Japanese coolies. The hospital service, 

 artillery and train, cavalry horses, and every 

 requisite for a field campaign and siege opera- 

 tions were provided, with abundant commis- 

 sariat supplies, even including forage, firewood, 

 and water. When supplies or labor were ob- 

 tained from the people it was by voluntary sale. 

 The Chinese force of 2,000 men that had landed 

 at the port of Asan made no move to meet the 

 rebels, and, being badly provided with commis- 

 sariat supplies, levied food contributions from 

 the inhabitants. This force was composed of 

 picked Manchu troops from Li-Hung-Chang's 

 army, who had seen service in fighting the rebels 

 of northern Manchuria. Very different were 

 the 5,000 men landed to re-enforce them. Al- 

 ready in June the Chinese had begun to mass 

 troops in Manchuria preparatory to a descent 

 upon Korea. The invading force began to cross 

 the frontier before July 25, and by the end of 

 the month 30,000 were concentrated at Wiju, in 

 the northwestern corner of Korea, where they 

 were re-enforced by several thousand brought by 

 sea. This army marched south about 100 miles 

 and took up a position at Ping Yang, where they 

 were confronted by Japanese forces, which had 

 driven the Chinese out of Asan and afterward 

 advanced from Seoul and now held the passes 

 from northern Korea. 



The Chinese at Asan were strongly entrenched 

 at Shang Hong, or Seikwan, in the hills near 

 Asan. The Japanese troops, coming down from 

 Seoul under the command of Gen. Oshima, who 

 had studied his profession in Germany, attacked 

 them in front, but did not venture to advance 

 across a river and level fields until a flanking 

 force had surprised and enfiladed the Chinese, 

 throwing them into confusion. The Chinese 

 lost 500 and the Japanese 75 in the battle. 

 Gen. Yeh kept the best of his troops, the vet- 

 erans of Manchuria, together, and retreated in 

 good order, pursued by the Japanese as far as 

 Hong-Chow, or Yoshiu, leaving 4 guns and most 

 of his camp equipage and munitions in the 

 hands of the Japanese. By a swift and masterly 

 march the Chinese general broke through the 



Japanese lines on the road from Fusan to Seoul, 

 evading the larger and fighting small bodies of 

 the enemy, and by a long detour finally joined 

 Gen. Tio at Ping Yang after marching 350 miles 

 through difficult country. 



Gen. Oshima advanced to beyond Seoul, to 

 Pong San, where he was re-enforced by 6,000 men 

 landed at Chemulpo and by 12,000 who debarked 

 at Fusan and marched up to Seoul. The Chinese, 

 resting on the Tatong river as their main line of 

 defense, made, sallies during August and the 

 early part of September, driving back the Japa- 

 nese outposts, and had skirmishes with Japanese 

 reconnoitering parties. They advanced in force 

 on Aug. 13, and after some initial successes al- 

 lowed themselves to be entrapped near Chang- 

 hwa, and retreated with a loss of 500. They 

 received re-enforcements that brought their 

 strength up to 34,000. Meanwhile a Japanese 

 force of 8,000 landed at Gensan about Aug. 10 

 and marched westward over the mountains to 

 attack Gen. Tio in flank. Another force landed 

 on the shore of the Ping Yang inlet, and after 

 severe fighting established itself at Hwang Ju, 

 45 miles from Ping Yang, where they were sup- 

 ported by gunboats on the Tatong river. The 

 forces at Pong San and Hwang Ju remained on 

 the defensive until the Gensan column had ac- 

 complished its slow and toilsome march. It 

 came up with the Chinese at Sing Chuen, and 

 drove them out of their lines after a severe en- 

 gagement. On Sept. 7 the Hwang Ju column 

 advanced and outflanked the Chinese on that 

 side, compelling them to retreat toward Ping 

 Yang with heavy losses. They held a strongly 

 fortified position within the city of Ping Yang. 

 The Japanese on Sept. 14 made a reconnois- 

 sance in force from Pong San, and on Sept. 15 

 the artillery of the center column played on the 

 Chinese defenses all day, and the infantry kept 

 them engaged preparatory to a combined attack, 

 which was delivered simultaneously in front 

 and on both flanks on Sept. 16, the order of 

 battle having been arranged by Gen. Nodzu. 

 Field-Marshal Count Yamagata had arrived to 

 take supreme command. The Japanese forces 

 numbered about 40,000, the Chinese 20,000. 

 While the Japanese center column was pound- 

 ing at their strong front, the firing contimiing 

 through the night, the other two columns closed 

 in and took the Chinese entirely by surprise in 

 their unprotected flanks and rear, when the 

 simultaneous advance was made at three o'clock 

 in the morning. The Chinamen fell into a 

 panic, and the Japanese, always expert and 

 nimble with sword and bayonet, cut them down 

 by the hundred. Only the 5.000 trained troops of 

 Li-Hung-Chang's army stood their ground and 

 fought till all were slain. The Chinese losses in 

 killed, wounded, and prisoners exceeded 16,000, 

 while the Japanese lost only 30 killed and 270 

 wounded. Among the prisoners were four Chi- 

 nese generals, Tso Fonkwai, the Manchurian 

 leader, Tso Pakwai, Wei Jinkwoi. and Sei Kin- 

 lin. There were many thousand rifles and great 

 stores of ammunition and rice taken, and about 

 $3,000,000 in treasure. 



Battle of the Yalu River. The Chinese 

 were making ready to re-enforce the garrisons 

 at Ping Yang and Wiju, and were building forts 

 on the Yalu river, when the Japanese took Ping 



