The Beaumont enterprise. [volume] (Beaumont, Tex.) 1904-current, 1904-09-15
ARTILLERY DUEL
BREAKS RECORD
HEAVY GUN FIRE AT LAO YANG
SAID TO BE THE FIERcEsT
EVER KNOWN,
TRENCHES FILLED WITH DEAD
Hand 10 Hand Encounters Wherein
Guns Were Used as Clubs and
Foemen Were Found Dead
In Each Others Arms.

Headquarters in the Field Of See
0nd japanese Army Before Lao Yang
via Ticn Tsin. Sept, ii.-Thc capture
of Lao Yang was accomplished only
after nine days Of desperate fighting
ON the part oI the second or left ia
pancse army under the command oI
Gen. Oku.
During this time, while the artil'
IlcIy arm carried out its part oil the
greatest artillery duel the world has
ever seen, there occurred the hardest
fighting and the most desperate in
Ifnntry charges oil modern times.
The fighting began on August 10
when the Japanese army moving
lnorthward collided with the Russian
forces cntranched on the hills at An
shanshan. The Japanese bOmbarded
this position all day long ana NJ
night the Russians retired. The next
three days, August q, 2S and ~
were occupied in following the retreat
ing Russians. ,
The Russians retreated steadily,
with the artillery in their rear guard
engaging the Japanese advance ana
succeeding in retarding it until the
main force of Russians reached their
positions in ShOshOusalpao nils about
eight miles south of Lao Yang.
At dawn, August 80. the japanese
began an artillery attack up on TINS
positiOn, the second army bringing
nm PIG guns to bear upon the Russian
Notifications The fourth japanese
army was formed upon the extreme
right occupying a position on sIhail
chain of hills running AT right angles
TO the Russian position. The lourth
army employed nearly one hundred
puns more against the enemy at
Shoushanpiao This Russian position
was the strongest the enemy had held
M to that time. II consisted OF three
hills averaging 800 feet high, all Tor
tilted with very strong entertainments
connected with skilfully concealed
bomb uroofs capable of holding all
thn men engaged in working the guns
The artillery duel at this place was
probably the biggest that has ever
taken place, 1t lasted all day August
20 without any apparent result. inc
next morning the artillery duel WIS
continued with increasing strength
the Russians returning shot Tor Shot'
The Japanese guns were hidden IN
der corn eight feet high ana were
hardly visible to the enemy VINO
searched the corn fields with Shrap-
Incl The fire caused heavy Japanese
losses but failed to silence the guns
AT II a. m, the fire of the Japanese
nlIns was concentrated in the trench
mnnts at a hill on the extreme
left of the Russian position. For an
hour shell and shrapnel were raiheu
In this trench and the smoke OF the
bursting shrapnel and the dust Oh
exploding shells hid the position from
sight. The artillery ceased at noon
and the Japanese infantry 'heh
charged from an adjoining mn Ill lhe
face OF n heavy fire from the trench
itself and terrible cross fire from
Russian artillery posted on another
hill to the rear. MI,
Strong wire entanglements, millta,
rv pits and exploding mines ialled
to stop the advance and in spite Oh
enormous casualties, they tooh 'hc
trench at the point OF the payohe,'
driving the Russians back the lehS'h
of the hill As soon as the Japth'H'
were in possession of TINS lrenon
thc Russians turlcd the fire oil scores
or guns against them in an eHort W
ldislodge them. This heavy i're was
maintained until nightfall, but ana not
drive the Japanese out. ..,,.
Roth sides kept up an altllleiS
fire all through the night OF August
n and AT : o'clock in the morning VI
! Srntombcr the Japanese attachcu
Itha Russian center position. rms
was q hill defended by wire entahSl'-
mrrts nits and bitches. Japanese
engineers cut the cntanglmohtS u''i
t,rrihIc slaughter. one dcta'hIil'".
losing - ont of 81 men. the men u,
/ Norova. the flower Of the S''"."
amy were assigned to charge lh'
him They took the first trench WIN
| , rush In the second trench the!
moi the enemy in a hand 4" hanu
Grbt and went on IA the top oil Tue
min ,rnadipr ON their own dead. Inc
/ ,rrncb al The crest Of the hill was
il,l,.p after another hand t. manu-
fight. The Russians hciAE driven wv,
NJ the pint of the hayonot ana VII"
I,auhbcd guns. hi.
thousands were killed IN tn'S
Irnarcr and the trenches were me"
with th., maurlcd bodies oi 1apah'7'
land Russians Ia many cases. ih' az,
I3r];cr- aud defenders were l"'lii"
ldr9d rlutchod in each others az nls.
M more desperate charge was ever
made, tn, position apparently vas
uuaSzaiabiy aud it could nave "''"