The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-09-09
THE BATTLEFIELD WAS
A PERFECT INFERNO.
Russian Correspondent Describes
the Fighting at Lao Yang.

Russian Correspondent Describes
the Fighting at Lao Yang.
st. Petersburg, Sept S.-A Russian
correspondent of the Associated Press,
in a graphic description of the fighting
at Lao Yang, says:
only the Russian soldiers tradi-
tionally splendid qualities enabled them
to support the terrible conditions, of
which the lack of sleep was the most
unbearable The Japanese awaited
themselves to the utmost of rain and
darkness, and did not cease fighting,
their night attacks testing Russian en-
durance severely The Japanese suf-
fered terribly, but made light of their
losses. They continually drafted
fresh reserves into the ranks to re-
place the worn out men.
Indeed the numerical superiority
of the Japanese is astounding and
incomprehensible, for after losing
enough men at Port Arthur and else
where to form a perfect army their
effective strength appears to only in
crease and they still are concentrat-
ing fresh bodies of troops on the Liao
river.
THE battlefield was perfect in
ferno. Gen. Stakelberg was wounded,
but facing death, he remained immo-
bile at his post throughout the day,
regardless of the rain of shot around
him. Several officers of his staff were
killed or wounded. In the evening
Gen. Stakelberg notified Gen. Kuropat-
kin that he could hold the position or
take the offensive if necessary.
Among the incidents of the day was
the slaughter of two Japanese battal-
ions, which were pursued through the
Chinese corn and grass to SaitZa and
surrounded by the Russians. They
resolutely refused to accept quarter,
preferring death.
''In another part of the field the Jap
anese shelled and captured by assault
one of the Russian trenches, only to
find too late that it had been aban-
doned by the Russians and occupied by
their comrades. They fell upon the
PROSTATE bodies and flooded them with
tears.
I'm one case party of Japanese Off
GERS found a body of their men retir-
ing in disorder and drove them back
to the battlefield at the point of the
sword
1.-THE Russian frontier guards died at
their posts, refusing to surrender. 1t
was the anniversary of the creation of
their regiment which they had cele-
brated the previous night. They lost
a large proportion of their officers.
"At many points the combatants
stoned each other.
"Of late the Russians have learned
to mask their batteries more effectu-
ally and thus have gained a sensible
advantage over the Japanese. The
Russians worship their guns, and to
quote Gen. Kuropatkins admonition:
Soldiers. die for your guns as you
would for your flag
THE pits which the Russians had
dug in the Chinese corn and grass
were filled with Japanese corpses,
which were trodden over by their
comrades. The ground was so thickly
strewn by bodies in one fight that the
Japanese raised a white flag and
sought permission to bury their dead
but this was refused The air became
polluted with the stencil.
THE Russian evacuation of the forts
and entertainments was carried out
without loss.
THE troops crossed the river over
pontoons and railroad bridges in per-
feet order and safety, burning the
bridges behind them.
Lilac Yang is enveloped in flames,
and clouds of smoke from the con-
f1agration are visible as far as Yen
tai.
1.-The countryside is swarming with
Chinese fugitives."