The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-30
First Land Fight a Victory for
the Japanese.
Cars Forces Driven from a
Fortified Position.
LOSSES NOT HEAVY.
Gen. Mishtchenko's Official Re-
port Pays Tribute
no the Tenacity and Bravery Of
the MikadO's Men.
ADMIRAL'S REPORT
On His Second Attempt to Close
Port Arthur Harbor.
Says It Was but Little Short of
Complete Success.
Gen. Mishtchenko's Official Re.
port Pays Tribute
TO the Tenacity and Bravery o
the MikadO's Men.
ADMIRAL'S REPORT
On His Second Attempt to Close
Port Arthur Harbor.
Says It Was but Little Short of
Complete Success.

Toxic, March 800 p. ma mixed
force of japanese cavalry and infantry
attacked and dispersed a force of Rus
slams at Chong Ju near Ping Yang last
Monday morning. The Russians had
erected a temporary fortress which was
defended by a force of Cossack cavalry
and estimated at 500. The japanese at
tackled in considerable force. The Rus
slams offered strong resistance at first
but finally fell back abandoning. their
positions The japanese sustained a
loss of one officer and one sergeant kill
ed and two officers and ten privates
wounded. The Russians are reported
to have left three dead behind but to
have succeeded in carrying off the
wounded.
The Japanese force entered the town
cheering for the emperor.
London. March 8o.-The Japanese le-
cation has received the following Off
cial report from Toxic of the fighting
between Japan and Russian forces at
Chong Ju, Korea, Monday:
"On March 2S a portion of our cav
airy and infantry forces occupied Chong
Ju after defeating the enemy The
enemy, VINO numbered about 500 men,
retreated in the direction of Wiju. Our
casualties were Lieutenant Kano and
four others killed, Captain Kurokawa
and u others wounded" +"
There were no casualties among our
infantry. Two dead bodies We're left
by the enemy on the field, but it is
reported that some seven or eight were
killed inside the town. These were
promptly carried off by the enemy en-
horseback or by ambulance. The Rus
slams were seen conveying in an am
bulance two dead men, apparently
officers, and bIood-stainend bandages
were found scattered around The IN
emy must have sustained losses at
least equal to our own.
RUSSIAN VERSION.
ST. Petersburg, March 3O--General
Kuropatkin, in his first report to the
emperor from the scene of war. an
nounced that offensive land opera tionS
had taken place against the japanese
upon the sixth anniversary of occupa-
tion of Port Arthur by the Russians.
These operations took the form of a
cavalry attack by six companies of Cos
sacks, led personally by General
AIishtchenko against four squadrons of
Japanese cavalry which the general be-
Heved to be beyond Chong Ju but
which he found to be in occupation of
Shat town.
Despite cross fire, which General
Mishtchenko cleverly directed against
the enemy, he pays a tribute to their
tenacity and bravery, the Japanese only
ceasing to fire after a combat which
lasted for half an hour Before the
Russians could follow up their advant-
age three Japanese squadrons galloped
toward the town, which two of them
succeeded in entering, while the third
was driven back in disorder, men and
horses falling.
The fire maintained on the town was
so destructive that the Japanese were
m of
Further Japanese reinforcements ar
rived an hour later, and in view of the
superiority of the enemy, General
Mishtchenko determined to retire doing
so without embarrassment although he
carried with him three killed and six
teen wounded.
Gen. Mishtchenkos cossacks have
been endeavOring for some days to
come in contact with the Japanese
patrol, but the latter refused to com
bat.
The szirmish will have the effect of
encouraging the Russians to retard as
much as possible the advance of the
japanese army.
Gen. Kuropatkins dispatch rcl,ort-
ing Cen MishtchenkO operations as
published does not give the place os its
origin but it is presumed that the
commander-in-chief is either al Iiago
Yang or en- route to Newchwang.
Gen. Kuropatkins report is as fol-
lows:
nave the honor to reSpec. fully
communicate to your majesty tie re-
port of Gen. Mishtcheno dated March
2S. at 10 p m, which says:
For three consecutive days our
small outposts attempted to draw the
Japan cavalry into action but their
patrols after contact was established.
retired beyond Chong Ju (about so
miles northwest of Ping Yang).
Having learned that four SQUAD
rons of the enemy were posted five
versts beyond Chong Ju on March 81,
six companies marched toward Kasan
and on March Is reached Chong Ju at
1870 a. m. AS soon as our scouts ap-
preached the town the enemy opened
fire from behind the wall Two squad
rons promptly dismounted and occu-
pied the heights six hundred yards dis
tant- An engagement ensued.
In the town a company of infantry
and a squadron of cavalry were lying
in ambush. Our men were reinforced
by three companies and attacked the
japanese with a crossfire. Notwith-
standing this and our commanding
position the Japanese calamity held
their ground and it was only after a
fierce fight of half an hour duration
that the japanese ceased firing and
sought refuge in the houses. The Jap
anese hoisted the red CROSS lag ut two
points.
Soon afterWard three sduafIrons of