Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-12-20


with the walled camps and forts. but In
tho heat of the fight tho Chinese failed to
uso them.
Just rs the front rank Of HassaRawa's
brigade was closing In upon Shoju jap
anes shell exploded inside the northern
fort. and with groan and shock that
stopped the battle for a moment the shells
for the heavy guns which were piled on
the floor Of the fort unprotected by trav-
erses blew up
The garrison scrambled ont over the
hilltops, and Hassagawa's men camc
sweeping around the rough mountain to
find the fort n mass Of flames.
That ended all hope OF defending the
seven forts. Tho Chinese fed along the
ridges and down the valley roads. Has
sagawa's troops were in possession Of Shoju
and Nerio hills
In order to take the town the troops
had to cross the bridge or wade in the
river. but on the other side of It was n
road leading between two small hills. and
on either side of the road were rifle pits
filed with Chinese infantry. On the hill
to the right Of this road was battery of
three field guns manned by the only good
gunners of the Chinese side Every time
the japanese attempted to move out of the
cover of the camp the Chinese riflemcn
swept the parade ground with continuous
volleys.
Away to the right could be heard the
sound OF Noghi's flying column trying to
force its way across the neck Of the little
peninsula, where n small force of Chinese
had made n stand and were defending the
way to the three forts.
Stretched i'm n line parallel with the
coast in front OF the harbor were eight or
nine Japanese warships, and the pcnirsu-
In forts were Smelling them clumslly and
without effect.
The Massacre Begins
Torpedo boats were going through the
waves and sinking junks loaded with
men, women and children endeavoring to
escape. The water was filled with drown
ing inhabitants. The massacre had be-
gun.
At last part OF the troops moved from
| behind the walls II the camp and under
shelter of the eastern wall of the drill
| ground. Then they opened fire on the
| Chinese pits guarding tho entrance to
| Port Arthur. 4 battalion moved out on
the plateau above the drill grounds and
knelt in n semicIrcle, sending volley upon
! volley across the stream against the rife
/ pits. Another detachment crawled along
through n sheltered road to a wall on the
! southern side OF the drill grounds For
Is minutes these three skirmish lines kept
up n fire, and the plucky Cinnamon were
| driven from the position
Finally u small column, covered by the
skirmishers, advanced across the bridge
and marched along the road leading 10
| the town.
| At the same time Marshal Oyama or
dcred the reserve center to move down the
valley. and thousands Of them came pour.
ing along the roads behind the troops nj.
ready on their way to the town.
Not n shot was fired In reply. The bat.
tie was over rs far rs Port Arthur was
concerned Even Ogunsan was silent and
deserted. The soldiers had made their es
cape, and the frightened inhabitants wcrS
covering i'm the strccts
| As the troops moved on. they saw the
heads of their slain comrades hanging by
cords, with the noses and ears gone. Their
was n rude arch in the main street deco
rated with bloody japanese heads A
great slaughter followed The infuriateG
soldiers killed every one they saw. No at
tempt to take prisoners was made.
Women and children were hunted ant
shot at as they fled to the hills with thei
protectors The town was sacked from
end To end, and the inhabitants wcr
| butchcrcd in their own homes.
Tho van of the second regiment reached
Fort Ogunsnn and found IL deserted
Then they discovered junk in the harbo
crowded with fugitivcS. \ platoon wa
| stretched across the end Of n wharf ant
fired into the boat until every man, WON
an and child was killed. The torpcd
boats outside had already sunk ten junk
filed with terror stricken people.
am satisfied that not moro than 10
Cinnamon were killed in fair battle a
Port Arthur and that ut least 1000 ur
armed men were put tn death.