Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-10-14

~ "HNS htSt tuc Columns with
marvellous rapidity.
Firing is heard somewhere at the
front. a detachment of engineers
emerges from headquartersand starts
on ponies carrying bundles of light
oam boo poles, while coolies and carts
follow them with coils of slender cop
per wire. The poles, which have
pointed ends, are quickly planted, the
wire spreads out as fast as men can
uncoil it, and field telephone is at
work. No evidences have been seen
that the Russians employ the tele-
graph extensively.
The Russian generalship is more
spec ectacular and perhaps inspires the
soldiers with greater courage, but the
japanese is more businesslike. These
generals do not play to the galleries
at all. The censorship which they
enforce tends to deprive them of
their just dues in reputation. Often
correspondents are forbidden to men,
ton the names of the leaders in dar-
ing and important fights because the
names might give the enemy clue
to the identity and therefore to the
strength and the characteristics of
the organizations opposing them. =
General Okzawa gathered his troops
In the fog of early morning on July
4th and prevented the Russians from
selzlng the Molten pass. He turned
heller's almost successful attack of
the Seventeenth into a disaster, and
his soldiers from the rocks above the
Yushlling shot down thousand
Russians without any conpensating
damage to themselves. He is a stra-
teglst and fighter. In England or
America ne would be popular hero.
but the newspapers which come to
the camp fail to mention him.
General Kuroki is quiet and un-
assuming gentleman, rather the
Moltke type than the theatrical gem
eral who rides about exhorting or
cursing his men. His type is ap-
parently the prevailing one in the
Japanese service. Sometimes it an
pears that he has worked out his plan
OF battle SO perfectly before the event
that he can sit down confident of its
tulfillment and takes little further
lntrest in the proceedings. During
the critical hours of July 81, when
his infantry was advancing across the
valley to charge the Russian in ntrench-
ments on the heights, he sat in the
courtyard of Chinese temple chat
ting casually with members of his
staff. A court painter could have
made no battle picture there.
General Kuroki's force partakes
OF his character. 1t might be de-
scribed as the silent army. The Rus
SLAMS have their regimental bands,
which play at sunset hours and on
the march and during battle, and
their soldiers advance to the sound
OF the drum. They chant their even
ing hymn around the soup kettle and
sometimes the roar of a patriotic chorus
rolls through the hills from the Rus
sian campfire to the ears of the Jap
anese pickets. With the Japs one
never hears the sound of trumpet
near the front. No war songs are
sung. The band of the Imperial
Guards has been with headquarters
occasionally, and the magnificent
service In memory of the dead at Feng
Wang Cheng was concluded by al
ringing benediction of trumpets.
But music has no part in the Japanese
soldiers daily life. Their enthusiasm
is displayed to the ear only in mo-
ments of victory by that weird and
stirring cheer "Banzai," with which
they charge. Nor is theirs convivialI
army. The few camp followers who's
presence near the front is sanctioned
sell cigarettes, fans, handkerchies,
towels, soap, tooth brushes, writing
paper and envelopes. The ne,rest
shop where bottle of saki or beer
can be bought is so miles to th- rear,
and that means that the offices get
little and the soldiers none.