The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1904-11-10
WAR FOR A WEEK.
SEVEN DAYS HISTORY OF THE
EASTERN STRUGGLE.
thrilling Stories of Bravery and Hero
ism Come from Russo Japanese Bat
tlefie1ds = Desperate and Prolonged
Seige of Port Arthur.


During the week the world received
the two most thrilling accounts of the
operations of the present war which
have yet been published. The first
was the story of the battle of Lao
gang, told by Frederick Palmer in Col
ler's Weekly. The other was the ac-
count by the Associated Press corre-
spondent Of the operations about Port
Arthur during the last three months.
Both Of these stories will hereafter
rank among the classics of war CORE
spondence.
The Port Arthur story leaves one in
voluntarily with the feeling that war,
though horrible and brutal thing, is
vet redeemed from part of its ugliness
by the lustrous heroism, self-sacrifice,
and devotion of its victims Was there
ever a more wonderful story told of
forgetfulness of self and love of coun-
try than this account of the japanese
soldiers who fell MORALLY wounded on
the slopes of Port Arthur's forts, smil-
Ing because they felt they had done
their part we'll? Or was there ever q
practice of cooler daring than that Of
the Japanese pioneers who, sent for
ward 10 cut the entanglements which
prevented the infantry charges, tum-
bled over as dead before the wires,
where they waited until night fall,
then stealthily crawled on their backs
to the barbed wire and nipped it with
their pincers?
The enthusiasm among the privates
and under officers was brought out in
the great charge without orders. Two
attacks had been repulsed on the morn
ing Of Aug. 81. Gen. Nogi was In a
quandary. He called his officers to-
gether. The troops were left to their
own devices, and spontaneously by
tens and twenties rushed up the blood
stained hill. Twice they were rolled
back, but the third time made their
efforts good.
1t seems as IL each single Japanese
soldier is the stuff of which martyrs
are made, and is glad to die for his
religion, which is Japan.
What scrt Of men, then, must the
Russians be, who, for over five months,
have hurled the Japanese troops reel
ing back time after time; who have
met japanese cunning with equal cum
ming; who have met japanese bravery
with equal bravery; who have met
japanese persistence with equal pei.
sistence? In the fighting on the tin
Of the Liaotung peninsula each side
has acquitted itself so creditably that
for hundreds of years there will be
inspiration to the people of both coun-
tries in the word sport Arthur"
Oyama and Kouropatkin still face
each other across the Shakhe. Artil-
lery duels are not infreQuent. Skir.
mishes are occasional. But neither
side has yet shown any purpose of
taking the real initiative.
The Japanese authorities have ac-
knowledged tina. in the early part of
June. their first-class battleship, the
Yashima, 1890 tons, struck a mine
and sunk. The fact was reported at
the time unofficially. but was officially
uenied by the japanese government
The denial was justifiable, for strategi.
cal deceit is legitimate in war. In the
battle of Aug. 10, therefore, Togo had
but four battleships, against the Rus
slams six, and was outnumbered. How.
ever, he whipped the Muscovites badly,
scattering some Of them and driving
five of their battleships back to Port
Arthur, where they have since been
rather severely damaged by the fire of
Nogi's guns. If the feet attempts an
other sortie it will be far easier work
for Togo than 1t was on Aug. 10.
In their statement about the Yashi.
ma it would not be surprising If The
Japs had been guilty of another gen.
tie little deception. Though the va.
shima was sunk in June, by this time
it may have been raised and repaired
When Rojestvenrky reaches the far
east he should no., be at all surprised
If he meets five first-class battleships
under Togo. But whether Togo has
four battleships or five, he probably
will not have much trouble with Ro-
jestvensky and his cavalrymen.
The Seige of Port Arthur.
General Nogi announced to his army
Oct % that there would be a bonn
bardment Of the whole eastern ridge
Of the Port Arthur defenses prelimi.
ne y to an attempt at its capture. This
bombardment began the next day, and
under cover Of the fire the Japanese
regiments drove the Russians out of
their trenches on Sungshu and Rihlung
and on the southern part of
Pohsian Mountain. The artillery prac
uce continued for three days longer,
and on the night of the twenty-ninth
the Japanese reserves were moved up
through the network of trenches In
front Of the Keekwan forts. Right
here our direct information ends.
1t is probably true that even though
the Japanese capture one OF the forts
on this ridge they cannot hold it un-
less they capture all or nearly all of
them. If they accomplish this. greater
feat they will not, indeed, have ended
the siege, but they will have finished
the heaviest part of the task. Certain |
forts along the seacoast southeast of |
Port Arthur will remain in Russian |
hands, although perhaps not tenable |
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