Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-09-10
CAPTURE OF ANPING
Was a Picturesque as Well as Ter
ribIe Scene.

London. Sept. 9.-The correspondent
Of the Daily Mail. with Gen. Kurokis
Headquarters, in a dispatch dated Aug.
2S sends a picturesque story of the
events preceding the capture of An
ping, from which the following extracts
are taken:
ION the night of Aug. %, an attack
was made upon the first Russian posi-
ton. Correspondents were not per-
mtted to witness this assault. being
kept behind a ridge until morning. \
severe hand to hand fight WIS report
ed to have taken place, am. he Rus
slams were finally driven b" < on the
double quick upon the mali position.
which was at the top of Il gigantic line
Of Mills.
Lieut.. Col. Yosheia was killed early
I'm the fight. The Russian position was
exceedingly strong. On the left was
long line of mountain ridges gradually
shelving downward. On the front and
right were straight slopes. which de-
seconded in very steep fashion for 500
feet and then were bent at sharper
angles. On the slopes were planted
maize millet and potatoes. The Jap
anese movements were greatly ham,
pered by the cOntiguration of the
country, which is an unceasing sue
CeSSion of mountains, almost painless.
which made it impossible to bring for
ward the field guns. and mountain ar
tillery was therefore used.
"A battery planted upon n ridge
which had been captured earlier in the
morning opened fire on the Russians
Oh, Tho RnSGignS DrnmDt V
replied. Meanwhile the Japanese in
fantry advanced in arc-shaped forma =
ton. massing at every convenient point
of shelter. They soon reached the foot
of the mountain. where the angle of
the slope afforded protection.
"Fom the hill opposite | saw steady
persistent move forward, now by twos
and threes and now in long lines, as the
japanese crept from point to point
Then a heavy fusillade began. The
Japanese tore off their coats in order tc
move more freely and thus presented
splendid white marks to the enemy. The
Japanese gUnners apparently found il
difficult at first to get the exact range
Soon, however. squirting smoke and
flame showed where the respective bat
teries Of the two combatantS were
working ruin.
There was Ceasless crackle from
the front, and the blue haze above the
rifle pits revealed the presence of in
fantry. The day grew warmer and the
whitse clad soldiers. sharply silhouet
ted against the flowers and the darl
autumn green tints Of the landscape
became more numerous and more con
spicuous. Then two Japanese noun
tain guns were advanced with grea
daring on the right below the Russian
front. being concealed by the corn
RAPIDLY dropping shell and shrapne
right into the midst Of the Russia,
trenches. the caused the Russian fir
momentarily to waver. Then it was re
newed more vigorously than ever, bu
1t was the beginning of the end.
''Some Japanese after creeping
around and wriggling through the corn
burst UNEXPECTEDLY on the trenches
There was bloody fight then an
there As though by magic white flag
with blood-red centers appeared all u
the mountain sides. On the SUNNI
stood a man waving the flag of the Ris
ing Sun aloft. The standard bearer
could be seen tearing up the slope
the honor of reaching the top of tn
mountain first.
THE japanese infantry now opene
fire upon the Russians. who were dc
scending the opposite slopes, while tn
Russian artillery turned savagely upo
the heights which had been held short
ly before by their own men. Almost I
man the Russians died at ther post
or got clear away. only three prisoner
being brought in by the center column
as the result of the days fighting tt
Japanese losses were very heavy. Or
company reported that it had over on,
half its total strength killed of WOUND
ed. Sixteen officers in the regime,
were killed or wounded. TIE total ca,
ualties Of the center were probably 60
The Russian artillery covered the r.
treat Of the Russian soldiers wi
plunged down into the valley al