The Savannah morning news., 1904-06-18

Lao Yang, June 17.-The corre-
spondent of the Associated Press, who
was present at the battle of Vafangow
described the fighting as follows:
The stern. dogged fighting at the
battle of Vafangow was like another
Borodino. The roar of the machine
guns and the boom of the cannon still
ring in ones ears.
Throughout the three days of COM
bat the officers and men We'd with one
another in pluck and heroism. They
have added a glorious page to Russias S
military history.
The enemy's advance originally in
cluded the Fifth, Eighth and Eleventh
divisions, twelve squadrons of caval-
ry and splendid artillery. About Two
hundred guns were belching a contin-
uous stream of shot and shell. Large
reinforcements enabled them to turn
the Russian flank. A diversion on the
right precipitated the battle in the
morning of June Is.
Maj. Gen. Gerngross. who was
wounded, commanded the left flank,
and Gen. Loutchkovsky commanded
the CENTER including four battalions
concealed in small wood, whence they
dealt death and destruction on the en-
emy.
"The Russian right was protected by
Cossacks, dragons and Siberian Rifles.
Climbed a Hill and Looked.
while the big guns were thunder
ing 1 made my way, at about II a. m,
to the Russian right flank, and climbed
a hill whence 1 could view the whole
field of battle. Behind me a battery
had taken up a position from which it
kept up a continuous fire upon the ad
vancing ranks of the enemy.
Through glasses L could see the
sandy valley of the Tassa, with the
Chinese village of Fafan. The nights
of Foo Chou, the railroad bridge and
the surrounding slopes were occupied
by Japanese infantry. Then black
lines of infantry, like threads, could
be seen creeping through the verdure.
Nearer, the slope of hill was dotted
by the gray shirts of Russian riflemen.
A brownish smoke overhung some of
the batteries. and others showed
flashes of fame. The crackle of rifle
fire was punctuated by the roar of
guns. Occasionally I heard the hiss of
a japanese bullet.
"The scene was awe-inspiring. over
the Russian center and left flank how
cred chocolate clouds from bursting
shrapnel. 1t was evident that the tide
Of battle was coming toward the Rus
sian right 1 saw reserves hurrying
forward, the Cossacks galloping, fol-
lowed by columns of infantry at the
double. Suddenly they disappeared in
an adjacent defile The valley where
the Russians had encamped was emp
tied as if by magic.
Reinforcements for Russians.
Rafting volleys were fired behind
the zone of hills which concealed the
fighting troops from view in that di-
rection the sound of the firing being
the only evidence of the deadly strug-
gle proceeding there. This continued
Tor n3lI an nOuf. Suuuenly a COlilphiiy
of Cossacks appeared on the crest of
a hill and began to descend. They were
followed by infantry. The japanese
gunners promptly pursued them with
shrapnel. Horses and men began fall
ing.
"A moment of narrowing suspense
was relieved by a thunderous shout of
Hurrah' 1t was from couple Of
thousand of Russian troops just
brought up by train. They quickly
Jumped from the cars, fixed bayonets
and literally ran into the fight.
Again the crackle of musketry un-
der cover, during which the retiring
Russian regiments reformed and
moved off in complete order toward
the railroad. While a long line of
commissiariat wagons. escorted by
Cossa cks took TO the road, battery
Of horse artillery stationed near the
railroad banged away furiously as II
covered the retreat. The Japanese
shells were then falling on the station
buildings, from which train after
train had moved.
Il descended the hill and just sue
coeded IN jumping on the foothoard Of
the last car. Some OF the Russian bait
teries on the left flank we're stili tir-
ing. The main force then began slow
ly 10 retreat towards Nantainlin fthirr
~ miles north ~ Yafang0w) ana at
about I o'clock IN the afternoon had