The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-12-26

heroic band of Cinnamon was another
| Chinese line on knoll with three field
guns which checked the Japanese ad-
vances and enabled the broken line to
make a safe retreat.
"At 6:45 the next morning the bat
tie was resumed, the japanese steadll y
driving the enemy back. The forts
fell one after another, and Issuyama
was taken at sos. From Shoju there
shot out strange sprays of fire. The
arsenal in Port Arthur had caught fire
and was ripping, roaring and rafting,
vomiting flames and smoke like vol,
cano as an acre of massed shells and
cartridges exploded.
I'm order to take the town troops
had to cross the bridge or wade in the
river, but on-the other side of it was a
road leading between two small bills
and on either side of the road were
rifle pits filled with Chinese infantry:
On the hill in the right of this road
was battery of three field guns
manned by the only good gunners on
the Chinese side. Every time the
Japanese attempted tomove out OF the
cover of the camp the Chinese rifle
men swept the parade grounds with
continuous volleys.: -,
stretched in a line parallel with
the coast in front of the harbor were
eight or nine Japanese. warships and
the peninsula forts were shelling them
clumslly and without effect. Torpedo
boats were going through the waves
and sinking junks loaded with women
and children endeavoring to escape.
The water was filed with drowning
inhabitants. The massacre had begun.
At last a part of the troops moved
from behind the walls of the camps
and under shelter of the Eastern drill
ground, they opened fire upon the
Chinese force guarding the entrance
to Port Arthur. A battalion moved
out of the drill grounds and knelt in
semi-circle, sending volley upon volley
across the stream against the rifle pits.
Another detachment crawled along
through the sheltered road to wall
on the Southern side of the drill
grounds. For fifteen minutes three
skirmisL lines kept up fire and the
plucky Chinese were driven from their
position. Finally, a small column,
covered by the skirmishers, advanced
across the bridge and marched along
the road leading to the town. At the
same time Marshal Oyama ordered the
reserve centre to move down the val
lev, then bands of them came pouring
along the roads behind the troops al
ready on their way to the town.
''Not a shot was fired in reply. The
battle was over as far Port Arthur
was concerned. Even Ogunsan was
silent and deserted. The soldiers had
made their escape and the frightened
inhabitants were cowing in the streets.
AS the troops moved on they saw the
heads of their slain comrades hanging
by cords, with the noses and ears gone.
There was a rude arch in the main
street decorated with bloody Japanese
heads. A Agreatslaughter followed. The
| infuriated soldiers killed every one they
saw. No attempt to take prisoners was
made. Women and children were
hunted and shot as they fled to the
hills with their protectors. The town
was sacked from end to end and the
inhabitants were butchered in their
own homes. 90,
1.-THE van of the second regiment
reached Fort Ogunsan and found it de-
serted. Then they discovered q junk
| in the harbor crowded with fugitives.
A. platoon was stretched across the
end of a wharf firing into the boat un-
til every man and women and child
was killed. The torpedo boats outside
had already sunk numerous junks
filled with terror stricken people.
IT am satisfied that not more than
one hundred Cinnamon were killed in
fair battle at Port Arthur and that at
least 1000 unarmed men weresput to
DEATH"