New-York tribune., 1904-09-11
TAKING OF LIA0-YANG.
RE Fi0s Days Fighting Scenes
-. - - -Withsss the Walls.

LiSo- Ysssgs Sept. Z tvia- Tien-Tsin. Sept 1W.-
The Japanese at 8 O'Clock yesterday evening dis
covered. that the Russians had evacuated Lao
Yang, and at IL o'clock they sent scouting par
ties to- the southern and western walls of the
city. At o'clock this morning the troops of
the ctorions army quietly occupied Liao-Yapg.
General Kuropatlzin's former base and strong
hold. This success was achieved after nve days
of glorious hghting.
After General Kuroki had noted the march OF
the Tenth Russian Army Corps. which he had
driven in from the An-Ping road to the plain,
ON its way to, join the Russian centre. which
General Nodzu had forced in from Tao-Feng-
ShuE he divided his forces stationed on the An
Ping and Feng- Wang -Cheng roads. He took
care to have sufficiently, strong force on the
Feng- Wang -Cheng road on General Nodzu's ex-
trerne right and sent to General Nodzu, who
was pushing with the japanese centre army
along the Meng-Chfa- Fang and South roads. one
brigade. 10. MensN CHA Fang. three regiments to
Chiao-Fan-Tun and two regiments to the South
ROAD General Ktifoki in the mean time wait
ed quietly with two divisions on the south bank
OF the Tai-Tse River.
On August % the artillery under General
Nodzu bombarded fiercely the three hills at
Chiao- Fan-Tun. On the same day General Oku.
in command of the japanese left army. working
his way with rifle fire and artillery. slowly ad-
varced- along the railroad in, spite OF the Rus
sian opposition from neigh boring. elevations and
fortihcations. The left army thus moved toward
Shu-shan. The Russian cavalry was not able
to locate the japanese trenches ron this advance.
PROTECTING THE LINE OF RETREAT,
The character Of the Japanese advance appar-
entity had served as a warning 10 General Kuro-
patzin TO make sure Of his retreat. and his
transport was at once seen moving rapidly out of
Liao-Yang over the railroad bridge.
On August 80 the Japanese closed in on the
Russians in their mountain position at Chiao-
Fan-Tun. Here the guns were so close that It
was almost possible for the battery command
ers to see each other.
At 10 o'clock on the morning of the 30th Cen
eraI KGropatkin's stan moved out OF Lao
Yang. At the same time rife fire was heard
drawing nearer to the railroad station, and this
was an indication Of the advance OF the Japan
ese left army. The fences around all the houses
at Lao Yang had been removed In order TO fa-
ctlitate the movement Of wagons and troops.
Wounded men. of whom none were seen the
10Th, were trailing along the roads from the
south and southwest into Liao-Yang the 30th.
The Russians made use OF a field balloon all
day long on the 30th. and by means Of 1t they
got the .ra4}gs of one Japanese battery which
they succeeded In putting out OF action. AS
general thing. however. they failed TO find either
the Japanese batteries or troops. while the Jap
anese continued to silence battery after battery.
RUSSIANS STAND FIRM ON SOUTH.
At 3 O'Clock in the afternoon of the 3oth the
Japanese shelled Russian battery posted on
a hill within three miles of Liao-Yang. but
shortly after this hour 1t became apparent that
the Russians had begun TO hold their own. BY
o'clock in the afternoon the Japanese shrap-
mel fire was confined 10 the position at Chiao-
Fan-Tun. where the Russians disputing
every hillock with the enemy. The Japanese
made repeated but unsuccessful. assaults upon
this position. The fighting OF the 3oth came TO
close at O'Clock in the evening The Russian
for 1hs 18th and 3oth amounted TO
more. than coo men, .e~,'~S--7'as- :-,
The japanese. from low range OF hills TO the
southeast and south OF Shu-Shan. began shelling
the northern end of the Russian line at shu-
Shan at 9:45 on the morning OF the 31st. This
artillery fire was preceded and accompanied by
infantry rushes over the valley and the lower
hills south of the road. They began before dawn
and were continued until evening, the Japanese
officers urging their worn-out and fainting men
with the points OF their swords.
There was very hard hghting at round topped
bill in,the Russian line opposite the point where
the two Japanese armies under Generals NodZu
and Oku came together. The Russian position
here was protected with wife entanglements and
a small ybody. OF. Russian troops absolutely re-
fused &c, retire. in one trench seven men fought
gallantly until they were surrounded by the
japanese. At the end of this sharp fighting the
Russians were hurting down sandhags on their
enemies. They succeeded in killing one Japan
ese officer and inturing another. after which
they surrendered and the hill was occupied by
the enemy. =,
At-5xo'cIock. in~the evening the fighting which
had ragged all day long, centred along the south
road, where for two hours there heavy
artillery fire and vast amount OF ammunition
was expended. The valley III front and under
the Russian guns during this artillery duel was
an inferno OF shrieking and moaning shrapnel.
while beyond the Russian shells burst continu-
ously at the head Of the japanese advance.
.INFANTRF's FIRE NOT EFFECTIVE.
During the day the Russian rife fire was indie
seribably furious. The Russian trenches for
distance OF several miles threw out all day long
a continuous hail OF lead, accompanied by un-
ceasing flashes OF fire. In spite Of its continued
ferocity, this rife fire was comparatively tnef-
fective, the Russians often firing without sight
of the enemy. This hail OF Russian rifle bullets
did not cease before 10 O'Clock at night. It is
estimated that 1909 Russian shells were thrown
Llto the valley beyond the south road, where the
only ssfgn of-the. presence OF the japanese was
Red Cross camp ~ ,.~- -, 49,.
At nightfaH General Stakelberg with the First
Corps, was still facing General. Oku On the left.
This Russian corps had lost 5000 men,.
During the night of the 31st the Russians
deemed the position OF the enemy to be so
ftifeatehing that they made preparations to fan
olg