Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-10-07
MORE SLAUGHTER
IN FORTS AROUND PORT ARTHUR.
oefsnsss Taken and Retaken in Bloody
Hand to Hand confiets.-oensraI
stoessei's Proclamation.

St. Petersburg. Oct. 4.-An ofiiclal
report from General Stoessel. dated
September Esd. reached Che Foo To-
day. confirming a previous report OF
the repuise Of the Japanese attack On
Port Arthur. which began September
18th and ended September ed. The
fighting MAS Of an extremely severe
character. The japanese having Ts-
tired, General Sto.ssei issued the fol
lowing proclamation:
GLORY Thanks to God Glory to our
heroic garrison. Glofy to iiiman. ~.
chan and PossorsEy.-hsToes nE.
Thanks To our valiant volunteers who
routed the enemy from the trenches,
destroying them. God has psrmit,od
us To repulss the enemy. Praise Ia
God"
The volunteers referred Ia by Gen
eful Stoessel in the proclamation
which he issued after III. desperate
fishting which took place between
September 18th and ed ~sr. made
up OF regulars called upon To take
hill which had been captured by tho
Japanese.
From semi.ofiicIaI sources II ia
learned that III. attack began on thu
18th alons the Who'll" linU and lasted
four days. various positions changing
hands many times.
The hish hill mentioned was u very
important position to III. huSslanh'
Tn. Jnpan-s. attacked repeatedly. day
and night. hnaliy occupying tn. POSI-
ton on tn. nisht of September ed
after suffering very severe iosh"h. Tho
attempt to rctako the hill being IA
tromcly hazardous. General Sto.as'l
refused to issue the order. but called
for volunteer. Everybody called
upon responded, shcr"Ii-on a T"IulHii"
number OF men were selected. Lieu
tenant PossorSky and Captain SS-
chan leading them. Soldiers and o'ii'
GERS alike carried Trcnai.,s tuNplosi'o
shells wcishln. from two Ia six
pounds. which arc thrown by handb.
and with these they attacked tho
Japanese temporary foTtincatiunH and
drove III" latter from all Of their 10
sitionH. Several mines were exploded
during the general battle. causin. sr,
vorc loSscH. The NuhsianS calculate
that the total japanese losses for tho
four days fighting reach 10000 men.
The attack began with n heavy BON.
bardmcnt directed against nearly all
the Russian ouipoEtR and many of III"
main forts. The shcllinE OF the re-
doubts protcctin. tn. water supply of
Port Arthur was tremendous. Night.
fall September 18th found the water
works rcdoubtR reduced to mere heaps
Of debris. The sarrisons Of the re-
doubts thcrcupon' rctrcat.d safely To
the main fortifications under tho cover
Of darkness.
At I o'clock the same afternoon the
japanese assault on High Hili' began.
The Japanese plan OF attack never va
ricd. First n bombardmcnt and then
nm assault and when repulscd BON
bardmcnt again and then another AS
sault. The desperate determination OF
tho Japanese TO capture this position
amounted to fanaticism. their efforts
never ccasing during four days. Ono
battalion OF Japanese. having rctrcatod
into valley. were exposed to the Rus.
sian shrapncl fro and were almost an
initiated.
Eventually the japanese succeeded
In placing one field gun and two ma
chine guns In position behind hastily
made barriers. Their tenure OF tho
position. owing to the fire Of the inner
forts. was very Insecure. and when
Lieutenant Poggorsky and the volun-
teers charged the tide turned against
them. One battalion. composed Of tho
remnants OF two companies. was an.
initiated In trenches which they re.
fused to desert. Another detachment
was driven into the Russian cntangle.
mcnts. where Captain SychafI's foS:o
was waiting. and completed It's rout.
Two other attempts made by the Jap
ancse to retakc the positions failed.