Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-10-28

'ose thc great DaJtle OF the
Shakhe river, Manchuris, has ended.
There is no record of much fight
ing since Tuesday of last week.
Ihe battle lasted ten days. Heavy
rains was the immediate cause of the
cessation of hostilities, though the
exhaustion of the combatants and
the vast strain on the ammunition
supplies made it apparent that the
end would soon come.
The result is, of course, Russian
defeat, with losses estimated at fully
10000 men. The total Japanese
losses are estimated in excess of
10000. Though beaten, General
kuropatkin holds his army intact,
and In the last stages of the battle
managed to win some successes.
These gains, while assuring the
temporary safety of his line along
the Shakhe, hardly affect the general
result.
Sharp but scattered fighting con-
tlnues along the front. The main
armies Of the Japanese and Russians
occupy the positions they held when
the recent battle ended, though che
Russians are making efforts to adj
vance. A dense fog following the
rain, mud and high water has pre-
vented any military operations of
consequence. The roads are impasss.
BILE and the cold is becoming intense
Fuel is scarce. The flooded fields
are now thick ice.
Gen. Kuropatkin's dispatches to st.
Petersburg are interpreted to mean
that he will attack Oyama as soon as
the weather permits. With the
closing of the week the semi-panic
produced in st. Petersburg by the
heavy reverse sustained by General
huropatkin's army last week has in
a great measure disappeared, and
there is much more cheerful feel
ing pervadipg the war office. The
general disaster which threatened to
engulf his army has been averted by
Indictment weather, and reinforce
ments being rushed to him Kuro-
patkin is expected to again attack
Oyama. The impression is, however,
that the astute Kuropatkin is threat
enlng In order to more effectually
cover the retreat across the river
Hun he is said to be planning. His
$4,000 wounded seriously hamper
the Russian generals movements.
A detachment of Characterization
arm of the service is being used to
harass Japanese communications
came under fire of japanese machine
guns and wss totally destroyed, men
and horses.
HORRORS Ole LONE TREE HILL.
The correspondents are sending
yoluminous details of the horrors of
the capture of Lone Tree Hill by the
Russians, which fact we noted last
week. The slopes and SUBMITS were
covered with mangled remains.
Every japanese officer killed had a |
compass on his person. Much credit
is due the Russian Colonel Baskoff, |
who was leading one of the storming
parties. Finding that his men were
giving way, he seized the regimental
colors and dashed forward toward
the japanese trenches, shouting:
brothers, save the fagl' The regi.
ment, although terribly punished,
responded CALAMITY. The wounded
in the trenches fought with their
teeth. So intense was the cold the
warm clothing on the japanese
corpses was promptly appropriated
by the Russians. Over GOO Japanese
were buried on the hill.
ln the most desperate of the sew.
eral attempts by the Japanese to re.
capture this important point the
Russians adopted the japanese tao.
tics and turned the tables on their
willy foes. The Japanese are fond of
night attacks, which they organize
cleverly. They light series Of
camp fires at false bivouacks and
then stealthily creep up on the Rus
sian sentinels, who, peering into the
darkness and blinded By the glare,
cannot see the japanese approaching.
Or they take advantage of a rain
storm and try to surprise the Rus.
SLAMS. On Tuesday night they
adopted both ruses, but ran into q
hornets nest. The night was inky
black, rain was falling and cold
wind was blowing.
"a fine night for the Japanese"
every one said, and the Russians
huddled in the trenches had strict
orders given to them that if the
unlimited guests appeared not to
fire, but to meet them with bayonets.
1t was 30 dark that person could
not see his hand before his face.
Through the rain, in the direction
of the false camp fires, all eyes we're
strained and ears listening intently.
The wind, which was as cold as ice
and cut to the bones, was suddenly
freighted with ominous sounds and
unmistakable quash in the mire and ,
squirting of water under the tramp I
OF hurrylng feet, accompanied by |
the metallic rattle of arms. The
Russians stopped lower. The officers /
passed along another caution-under ,
no circumstances to fire, but to meet ,
the Japanese with the bayonet. On ,
they came. The Russians listened i
for the approach of their victims [
with grim satisfaction, their only .
anxiety being lest some nervous ,
soldier might fire and thus spoil the |
game. The japanese came on not 6
knowing that the Russians were 50 1
close. When they were right under {
their feet the Russians rose up as if | ,
out of the ground, and, with a
harrah, wildly fell upon them with {
the bayonet. The front ranks of the {
Japanese broke, turned and smashed {
into the second line, throwing the s
whole force into disorder. Like a S
rabble they tried to escape, but the |
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