The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-11-08
Russ and Jap Are at Close
Quarters.
KUROPATKlN A BUSY MAN
Nikado'S Forces Have Taken More
of Port Arthur's Outer
Defences

| LONDON, NOV. GA Mukuen ulS-
patch says that General Kuropatkin is
| devoting his attention chiefly to keep
| ing the Japanese busy along the line
| of their Notifications below the Shakhe
river. The Russians apparently are ell
joying some superiority in the matter
of artillery, as many of the heavier
field trains and mortar batteries are
now arriving and being brought into
service.
The Russian and Japanese armies,
extending from Bentsiaputze, east, to
the Lao river, west, ut places are al
most within a stones throw of each
other. At BentsiaputZe not more than
400 yards separate the advance posts,
and at Sinchinpu, on the Shakhe river,
inst west of the railway and fifteen
miles south of Mukden, the japanese
and Russians occupy the extreme ends
of the same village. At Huangshantse
the Russian center has thrown adj
vance posts across the Shallhe river
1t is rumo.cd at Chcfu that the Rus
slams have abandoned all the forts TO
the east and north of Port Arthur. The
garrison is said 10 have withdrawn to
the strongly fortified Liaotishan PENN
sula, which Admiral Togo is now she'll
ing.
Shanghai reports say that the be-
siegers have made considerable further
progress that several Russian counter
attacks at Erhlungshan were rcpused
with great loss to the defenders, who
abandoned the main forts and outlying
works.
The Japanese are now halfway up
the slopes of Erhlungshan and Shan
shoshan.
A special from Dalny says that after
three days of continuous lombard
ment of Port Arthur, which caused ex-
tensive destruction to the Shojusan
and Niryusan forts, In the west center
of the Russian line of defense and also
to Keekwan fort, the right wing of
the Japanese army assaulted Shojusan.
Having carried the approaches to that
height the assailants intrenched them
selves under the glacis of the forts.
In the evening the left wing delivered
an assault on Keekwan. fighting its
way to the lower parapet. There the
Japanese held their ground subbornly
In the face of Russian counter attacks.
Having been REINFORCED during the
night, the Russians charged down upon
the Japanese, and a desperate hand to
hand conflict ensued. The japanese
beat back the enemy and destroyed
two covered positions in the front
moat. A japanese sublieutenant. with
thirty volunteers, then succeeded in
making his way TO the rear OF the fort
There he engaged in a personal con-
flict with Russian officer and killed
him. Having discovered two more de-
lenses In the rear moat the sublieuten-
ant withdrew his force with loss Of
two members.
Later in the night the advanced posi-
ton of the japanese was taken and re-
taken twice The besiegers succeeded
in holding the approaches and con
structing trenches connecting them
thN lipilN At !
dawn numbers Of dead were visible on |
the slopes. Fort +. north OF the new |
and old batteries In the left center of |
the line of defense. was captured by |
the severe fighting of the night
These operations have successfully |
driven an effective wedge into the Rus
sian center. Severe explosions and ex-
tensive fires have occurred in the for
tress within the last few days The |
total casualties Of the japanese in the
late attacks were LOO.
The climax to the late bombardment |
came between and 6 o'clock Saturday
afternoon. II was & superb spectacle.
Every fort Of the enemy was engaged,
and the fighting in the trenches was
and severe. The outposts OF
the contending forces were only forty
feet apart At I o'clock in the morn
ing one of the Japanese trenches col
apsed into a Russian gallery. The
enemy, being surprised underground,
led in confusion.