New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-14

Hand to Hand Conflicts for Posses
sion of the Pass.

General KurokTs Headquarters, July 4 VIA
Seoul, July 13.-The brief and disastrous at
tempt OF the Russians to overwhelm the small
japanese force which guarded the entrance TO
the MaO-Tien Pass was a bloody affair Inc
Japanese troops again exhibited their resource
fulness and courage, and the Russians again
threw away many lives The japanese are sun
driving the enemy UP the valley
The correspondent OF The Associated Press
saw enough to Justify the estimate that the
Russians had more than two hundred men killed
or wounded, and that the japanese casualties
probably will amount to sixty. The Russians
left thirty dead near the trench where the at
tack began. At this point they had an equai
number of men severely wounded, and the Japa-
nese took several prisoners and captured 1oo
rifles. The Russians seen carrying away
two Japanese who had been either killed or
wounded.
Mao-Tien Pass opens funnel shaped slope
which rises for a quarter of a mile from the
valley, and which is fanked by hills. Thirty-
six japanese were CHARTERED in Chinese house
near the bottom Of the HILL and two companies
of Japanese soldiers in trench hum
bred yards long, the summit of the HILL
which commanded the approach Two other
companies of soldiers slept near this trench.
Between and 4 o'clock in the morning. a
heavy fog enshroudng the hills, two bat
talions Of the 10th and gath East Siberian regi-
ments together with 100 cavalrymen, approached
the Japanese position They surrounded the
pickets and outposts in the house. and gained
a position from which to rush the trench SeY-
eral other Russian companies were so disposed
that they could attempt a hanking movement
on both the japanese right and left.
When the fighting began The building where
the outposts quartered became slaughter
house. The Japanese. aroused from their sleep
by the enemy, used swords and beyonets to
resist the attack The Russians were at such
close quarters with the japanese that it was i'm
possible to use the rifles.
The japanese who ran out 10 man the trench
were only half clothed The first Russian on
slaught was repealed but the Russians charged
twice again within half an hour. The remain
der of the japanese regiment. however. to which
the outposts and the companies at the trench
belonged. reinforced their comrades and began
to drive the Russians back.
AS soon as II was sufficiently light to distin-
guish the enemy. two hours after the beginning
OF the fight. the japanese forced the Russians
to retreat one mile down the valley
The trench and its approaches on the hillside
were thickly covered with dead and wounded
Chinese stretcher bearers, impressive under drop
ping bullets. collected the wounded and carried
them to an improvised hospital in roadside
temple where they laid out IN rows under
huge painted gods. japanese details, with
trenching spades, were burying the dead where
they fell. and japanese soldiers were bringing
water to their own and Russian wounded. and
impartialy giving the wounded men cigarettes
The firing continued during the afternoon, but
gradually the sound grew distant, indicating
that the Russians still retreating.