THE BATTLES BETWEEN JAPAN AND CHIN A

BY

SUZUKI KWASSON

VOL. V. PING YANG.

Full PDF file of all the images

A description of Pyongyang some time after the war by Isabella Bird Bishop

(The uncorrected English text below is that given at the end of the book, after a set of Japanese texts about the war)

            I. The Imperial Palace Tokyo : The Imperial Majesty of Japan has declared the war against China on the 1st August, 1894, and the Head-quarters of the Expedition superintended by his Majesty himself was removed to Hiroshima from Tokyo, which is too far from the field.   

            II. General Prince Arisugawa; Director of the General Staff.-- The General is the Emperor's Uncle and borne at the 25th February, 1835. (He was for his earl-ier life a priest that was the custom usual to the Imperial family to be so in the Tokugawa Period.) He was appointed to the Commander-in-chief of the Army raised by the Emperor's party to subdue the Tokugawa's army. Afterwards he was appointed to the President of the Regislative Assembly (Genroin) and the General of Japanese Army. He had visited Europe and America and had a good experience on the civil and military services. It is, however, very sorry to have heard his death in the middle of the war at 24th January, 1895.

III. The Head-quarters at Hiroshima :-The Hiroshima is the  seat of the 5th military Direction of Japanese Army, and situated on the coast of inland sea of Aki. The Emperor has marched his majesty's seat to castle there, in consequence of the removal of the Headquaters, and is taking the busy workes in the Political and Military service from the early morning to the late evening.  
 

IV. The Japanese Fleet searching at Wei-Hai-Wei:-Chinese Fleet, after the defeat of the naval battles of Asan Sea and Haiyang Island had excluded themselves in the Port Wei-Hai-Wei without getting out of it in fear of being attacked by Japanese fleet. When the Japanese fleet had approached there in the purpose of searching, the Chinese Forts had tried some firing on the latter, but no hurt.

V. Japanese Army Marching to Rinsinkong ;-The Commander of 1st Division of Army, Viscount Nozu has taken the command of the expedition to Ping Yang where the Chinese had encamped to prevent Japanese there for three years. Now the scheme to seige the Ping Yang castle has heen desided by Japanese. Major General Oshima from the front, the commander himself from the left, Major .General Tatsumi from Sakning, and the Colonel Sato from the far round route of Gensan, all proceeded towards the castle at once.

VI. Capture of Hwangju :-On the way to Ping Yang, Japanese Army met with the frontier garrison of Chinese Army, at the neighbourhood of Hwangju. The former shot them and the latter fled into the castle, which was taken easily to Japanese.

VII. The battle of Chuzen Tei:- Japanese Frontiers of six soldiers headed by Lieut. Machiguchi has met with a corps of Chinese at the Chuzen Tei on the 10th July, when the former proceeded far off the main body in order to know the enemy's situation. The Iatter has involved them up making a sudden appearance from a forest. All the seven faught with the enemy in their best the Lieutenant Machiguchi, Sub Lieutenant Takenoucti and others has been killed, and a soldier Nishi Sohei has been captured by the Chinese, both having been wounded by several shots. The Nishi has been killed , it seems probable, by Chinese in a cruel method.

VIII. The Burial of the Slaughter-Soldiers :-when the main body of Japanese Army came forward, along the Chuzen Tei, Major Gen. Oshima has heard of the brave deeds of his soldiers, and performed a courteous ceremony of burial in favour of the deceased amid the tears of the gallant warriors.
 

IX. Higashibata's Gallant Fighting : -Other day when the similar body consisting of three Japanese cavalry advanced a further, met with the enemy of over twenty men, who came over them and made a severe firing. Mr. R. Higashibata had fell down his horse and he only therefore was too late to retreat from the spot while the others have shot some enemies down and retired off in success. He was compelled to fight in sword with four Chinese who attacked him with large spears and muskets, and had succeeded to drive them away in consequence of his vigorous action.

X. The Great Battle of Senkyori: -On the 12th of July, Japanese Army has all reached to the southern bank of Daidong River, on the north of which the castle Ping Yang, the headquaters of Chinese Army is situated. They apparently to fire guns, on the enemy as if they are to attack the castle from its front. The enemy therefore made a severe resistance in their greatest power of the whole Army on this points.

            One of the Chinese Ramparts at Senkyori :-As there was no shadows on the Japanese's side, all the bullets showered on their heads so that the nine of the tenth of a certain batallion were shot down before they had reached to the enemy's headquaters.

The Chinese has caused many strong ramparts at the southern bank of the Dai-Dong River, in order to protect the Ping Yang Castle from their foe before suffering an immediate attack. On the 15th of October, as the Branch forces headed by General Tatsurni and Colonel Sato had reached, as it expected, at the left side of Ping Yang, the Main force of General Nozu and the Gen. Oshima's brigade commenced to make general attacking. After a long fighting from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. all the Chinese ramparts were taken to Japanese on a high price, although they had met with unexpected stubborn resistance.

The General Oshima's brigade paid the highest price. He himself wounded on his abdomen, and his officers and soldiers of above one hundred and half in number have been killed.

XI. The Field Hospital of Jappanese Army at the southern Bank of the Dai-Don River.

XII. Lieut. T. Hayashi :-The Lieutenant was an officer under General Oshima, while he was fighting bravely in purpose for taking the enemy's ramparts, he was unhappily shot vital. At the moment, the Japanese were compelled to give up, for a time, the place which they had once seized. The soldiers under him therefore had tried to help him in accompanying him with them in the retreat. But he refused it and said, "I have been too severely shot to retreat. I shall die here. You may help yourself without minding me." He remained fell in the field, teared the map in his pocket into pieces, as he thought it injurious to let the enemy look on it, and breathed his last expire there.

XIII. The Battle of Ping Yang Castle :-The Branch forces headed by General Tatsumi and Colonel Sato have first succeeded in entering the Castle, as the enemy did not expect their foes on their back and sides, though they made their utmost in resistance. Thus the castle of Ping Yang was taken to Japanese in consequence of the Chinese's escaping to the Wiju at the moon night of the 16th October,

1894.  

SHUN - Y O - D O.

THE PUBLISHERY

No. 5, Tori Shichome, Nihonbashi, Tokyo, Japan.

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