The History of Korea (vol. 2 of 2)Hulbert, Homer B. (Homer Bezaleel)
History
The History of Korea (vol. 2 of 2)
Hulbert, Homer B. (Homer Bezaleel)
Korea -- History
This first battle won by Japan in a foreign land, for a period of three
centuries, illustrated two points. Not only had the Japanese soldiers
learned their lesson from instructors but the officers proved themselves
worthy of the steadfastness of the men under them. One man out of every
twelve killed was an officer. Nor, when elated by the victory, did the
Japanese forget the ends for which they were working. They did not
undertake any further subjugation of the south, not even attempting to
exterminate the Tong-haks. It was the Chinese in the peninsula with whom
they were measuring swords. The forces at A-san being destroyed or
dispersed and danger from that quarter was consequently removed, and the
banners of rising sun turned northward.
The northern division of the Chinese army, which had been landed on
Korean soil near the mouth of the Yalu River and had advanced southward
from that point, had now held the city of P’yŭng-yang for upwards of a
month. In anticipation of a Japanese advance they had fortified it as
best they knew how, but as is usual with Chinese they had forgotten to
guard their rear. On three occasions in this war they were attacked in
their unprotected rear and utterly routed.
During the second week of August the commander of the Japanese fleet,
Admiral Ito, with twenty men-of-war took a cruise into the mouth of the
Gulf of Pechili. The feint had its desired effect, though wholly
misunderstood by the world at large. It attracted the attention of the
Chinese and transport after transport made its way safely across from
Japan to Korea with its complement of troops.
On August tenth Major Ichinohe with the vanguard started northward from
Seoul. It was the first step toward Peking. Songdo was reached the
following day. The next few days were spent in reconnoitering the
Ta-dong River, but this part retired eventually to Song-do and there
awaited reinforcements.
On the nineteenth Lieutenant-general Nodzu arrived from Japan with the
reinforcements for which Gen. Oshima had been growing impatient. The
latter immediately forwarded a detachment by another route toward
P’yŭng-yang. This was ordered to occupy an important position known as
Sak Pass and was reinforced on September eighth by a battalion of
infantry and a company of artillery. This became known as the Sak
Division.
On the twenty-third Gen. Oshima set out from Seoul for the north with a
Mixed Brigade. This was the name given to the Japanese army which
participated in all the operations in the peninsula, so called because
it was made up of various portions of the grand army. On the
twenty-fifth Oshima joined the forces at Song-do. A few days before this
Gen. Tadzumi had landed at Chemulpo and had been put in command of the
Sak Division. On the twenty-sixth another division under Gen. Sato
landed at Wun-san on the east coast nearly opposite P’yŭng-yang, and was
immediately put under the command of Gen. Nodzu. This is best known as
the Wun-san (Gensan) Division.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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