The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-16
FIGHT UNDER GROUND.
Description of a Desperate Battle East
of Port Arthur.

London. Nov. 16-The Daily Tele-
graphs correspondent with the Jap
anese army before Port Arthur de-
scribing fighting on the eastern forti-
fed ridges on October so, says:
The terrific and continuous bonn
bardment night and day, from october
p to October so, eliminated in Won
derful practice, quite beyond criticism.
With appalling rapidity countless
bursting shells mingled their smoke
into a dense, OScillating mass of Vapor
laden with earth and cleaning with
flashes of fire, the climax being
reached at 1 o'clock with a tremend-
GUS fire of shrapnel across the broken
breastworks of the fortress. Suddenly
every gun ceased fire and the japanese
infantry rushed out from their
parallels ere the hills had ceased
reverberating with the thunder of the
cannonade, from seven separate
points against the Rihlung, Kekwan
and Panlung fortified ridges The at
tack was simultaneously developed
without a single premonitory feint,
fully four thousand troops dashing
out pell nell with fixed bayonetS, wav-
ing standards and rending the air with
shouts of 'Banzai.' -
The correspondent details how the
various Japanese attacks were checked
by the big mOats and the terrible
Russian fire, which rapidly depleted
their ranks, Notwithstanding a clever
covering fire of Japanese artillery, and
says:
credible, but fully substantiating sur
misses of their ability. to Withstand the
fire of the heaviest Japanese ordnance,
how the Russians, despite the previous
bombardment, replied from their fort.
ress guns, although over 1900 500
pound shells had been fired that day
not counting thousands of smaller pro-
jectiles.
1T is estimated the days lombard
ment cost the Japanese $4,000 repre-
Sentfng nearly 20 per cent of the total
cost since the opening days of the siege
in August. Before half an hour had
elapsed and after losing 500 men. the
Japanese abandoned the attack against
the south Kekwan fort.
by 4 o'clock the Japanese fire had
diminished in intensity and the as
saults ceased shortly before sunset,
when fire broke out in the new town
of Port Arthur; and at nightfall the
Japanese opened a shrapnel fire on the
eastern ridge to cover the retirement of
their isolated assaulters, whose situa-
ton was critical between the east and
south Kekwan fort. The total Japa-
nese casualties exceeded 1000
Although the assaults failed in the
capture of the main objective they alb
sOlutely unmasked the eastern Russian
positions and their strength. The cas-
ualties are relatively small, for al
though seven regiments were engaged
not half the troops issued from the
parallels owing to the attacks being so
skilfully manipulated and finally ceas-
AuS- fOF SITenSIn the Russia position
was unasSaultable and it would have
been useless to endanger double the
force and incur double the casualties in
the same assault.
After dusk the Russians SORTED and
recovered the ground lost between east
and the south Kekwan forts. They re-
covered the fort at 10 o'clock in the
evening but Gen. Ichinoye calamity re-
stormed the hill and despite $50 casual
ties, expelled the Russians by sheer
dash and courage. Indeed, his person.
atty won the hill for the japanese
After having captured the capon-
feres Covered galleries) of the East
Kekwan fort, the japanese engaged in
bloody fight in the underground
passage, slowly winning the vital of
the fort inch by inch despite the
bombs and mountain guns of the Rus
slams defending the classmates. On
November 6 the central and fort Sec
lions of the caponieres were gained