The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-06-02

Yalu River.
The regulation providing that the cor
respondents should keep well in the rear
of the firing line was very well observed.
BATTERIES WE'RE MOVED
AWAY DURING THE NIGHT.
As we advanced saw that all the
batteries which had been placed near our
camp had been moved during the night
| 1t was after 6 O'Clock, and the sun was
| well clear of the hills when We took up
our position, which commanded very
good view of the hills on the Russian side
and concealed perfectly the location of al
| most all the Japanese batteries that might
| be engaged.
any stray shrapnel that might happen
| that way. and sat down to wait for the
promised action. With glasses we studied
| the hills on the other side of the IiN er
until we became familiar with almost
every nook and crevice.
In the meeting of the amateur strategy
| boards in camp two or three OF us bad
already, decided that General Kuroki's
move would be to try TO obtain a foot
hold in these hills. from which he could
advance toward Chu-Liang- Chens, crun-
bling up the Russian line. We were not
surprised. therefore, when, about 10
o'clock we suddenly discovered a large
| line of men streaming down a little val
ley between the two big Manchurian hills
and moving rapidly down the river close
! 10 the water. There seemed to be just
about enough space for path between
coming in columns. but we were too far
| away to determine whether it was of twos
or threes.
The sight of these men quickly checked
the slumbeEs of some of the reporters.
upon whom the influence of the stiffness
and the warm sun was beginning to be
manifest. The column was five miles or
more away when We first caught sight of
It, and We watched its steady approach
with lively interest. At every second we
expected to see the development of a re-
Hot. lVHN
port of a single rife. In perfect order the
men swung on, making very rapid pace.
JAPANESE FIRE FIRST
GUN OF REAL ACTION.
Nearly two miles below the point where
we saw them a hill rose sheer up from the
water and the path they were following
runs between 1t and the first range be-
yond. As the columns disappear behind
these hills. there was a sudden. sharp
almost in front of US. and the sound Of a
shell rushing through the air. A little
puff Of white smoke appeared in the air
over the crest of a low hill near the east
ern end of the Tiger and presently there
fioated to us the report of the bursting of
far-off shell. The action was on. and
this time the Japanese had begun ii.
Almost instantly the first gun was fol-
lowed by others, and the fire spread to
other batteries, some above and some be-
low us, They all seemed to be posted on
the river bank, except one, which ap-
peared to be out of the sand OF Kurito
Island. Not a wreath OF smoke arose to
was only from the sound Of the firing, and
the occasional flash accompanying the
discharge that We We're able to locate any
of the batteries. 1t was easy enough to
see where the shells were going.
All over the other hills the puffs of
smoke revealed the target perfectly. They
covered q wide range, but there was one
shot that seemed to be of especial in
terest to the guns.
RUSSIAN SOLDIERS DESERT
THEIR POST ON TIGER HILL
On the eastern end of the Tiger HILL
from which the main range dipped. two
or three smaller hills stood little above
the water. with green valley between
them. We had seen Russians there on
several occasions. but not this morning
after the shelling began we saw some
flames rising from some hutS toward
which no shells had been thrown. 1t was
the sign that the Russians who had been
there were to 90 away.
All this time there had been no response
whatever to the Japanese guns. Their
quickened q great deal. The bursting
shells left their marks on the hilltops un-
I'll they, looked like a June meadow full
Of dandelion puffs The whole hillside
was searched out and over every place
where 1t seemed possible for an enemy to
hide, shrapnel after shrapnel. was
extraordinary, and it showed the evenness
of the new japanese explosive. Over and
over again shells burst in the same places.
II was apparently only necessary to get
the range with the first she'll or two to
land thereafter as many as was desired
exactly in one spot.
We saw many other indications of this
quality before the crossing of the river
was finally effected. The battery work
was SO interesting that for q few minutes
no attention was paid to the column of
.,@t,, H., - I'm
looked again it was still coming on, and n
mass of new men were on the little hill
where we had seen them first Still the
head OF the column had not come out
from behind the little hill which had shut
them off for some time We had watched
to see them appear, and then they were
dscoyered climbing I'M hiI up the in fsnee 1f the
long line of ants. Half way up the first
slope of the big rock group OF them
paused for rest. Others kept on. and SO
on until the head of the line had reached
the top.
RUSSIANS DISCOVER ARMY
AND FIRE INEFFECTUALLY.
Now. for the first time. the Russians
seemed to discover what was going on.
From g. battery just to the west Of the Al
River came the sound of guns. and on the
hillside far short of the advance guard of
the Japanese the shells exploded Again
and again the Russians tried to reach
useless. The little transverse valleys be-
tween the ridges would have given excel
lent cover If necessary. but the range was
too great apparently for the guns, or else
the gunners could not see exactly where
their target was.
OF all the shells they fired only one went
far enough to reach Its mark. and that
went O. little too far. not exploding until
after 1t had passed the danger point. 1t
was perfectly useless expenditure of
ammunition and did not stop the ad-
vance of the japanese for an instant
They paid no attention whatever to it. but
kept climbing steadily and readily as be-
fore the Smelling began.
The japanese batteries. however. were
not so careless about 1t. The moment the
Russians began to bark the Japanese were
turned on them and perfect hail of shrap-
rel was poured over the battery position.
Several batteries were engaged in the work
and their fire was terrible. The air seemed
filed with shells, and their rush was like
the roar of a strong wind through forest
of pines. Before the first shell from a
gun had found its mark the second was
on its way. 1t seemed that nothing; could
live under such fire, and It's accuracy
was as deadly as its dapidity
The practice of the japanese gunners
was revelation. Men who have been
through campaigns were amazed at II.
and declared that never had they seen
any thing like It. How many guns were
engaged We covld not estimate. and the
japanese would not tell. but there were
certainly several batteries. and it took
but a short time TO convince the Russian
gunners in their battery. back of. the Al
River that 1t would be well for them to
seek cover, rather than try to continue
firing at a mark they could not reach;
Their fire died away. and presently ceased
altogether
RUSSIANS AGAIN MISTAKE
INTENTIONS OF JAPANESE.
But now they took 1t up further along
fl,a l;,,a Sanroad ~ ha In their minds