The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-09-30
is IN CLOSE QUARTERS
All Information From Port Arthur In.
dicates Japanese Are Pressing
Toward The End

dicates Japanese Are Pressing
Toward the End.
Chefco, Sept. 2S.-As a result of the,
battle before Port Arthur which began
on September 10, the Japanese sue
ceeded in capturing several important
posts, and today the Russian tenure
OF the big forts guarding the north
northeast and northwest sides of the
town is seriously threatened. Chinese
information places the Japanese losses
under 5000 for the three days fighting.
and THIS comparatively small casualty
by the japanese In making their prep
arations for the advance. Russian
sources. however, claim to have in
formation that che Japanese lossest
We're unusually severe, amounting to
fully three times the number mem
toned.
Possibly the most important capture
during the three days fighting was
that of Fort Kuropatkln, which, while i
of minor value with regard tt pre-
venting the entrance into the town Of
the Japanese, has been constructed for
the purpose of protecting the sources
of the garrison's water supply. The
control of this water supply is now in
he hands of the Japanese.
Battle Began September 20.
AS was announced in these dispatches
on September 20, the battle began be-
fore daybreak oil September 10. At this |
hour there We're thuEderous reports OIL
artillery along the line extending from
the west OF, 1tz mountain to Rhilung;
and kikwa mountains. This was but
a preface to the assault which was des-t
tined to result in the capture of three,
Few and important Russian positions, 4
together with six small forts lying be-
tween Shushiyen and Rhilung mouH-'
tain. During the day and night ofJuhel
10Th and at noon of the Goth the bonn,
bardment continued without cessation,
and the many shells falling from quart
tiers Which previously had been SILENT
made it obvious that the Japanese had
at least succeeded in mounting many!
heavy guns in new positions, or I'M!
Strengthening their old positions. The
infantry fighting during this period was
comparatively trivial.
At noon on September 20, the Japan
csc right and center, the former beingl
to the north and the latter to the east
of the railroad, commenced the adj;
vance. The troops made use of the,
trenches and i%nfrequent natural covers
that lay iii their way. The small forts,
to the south of Shushiyen resisted this,
advance, but briefly. their garrisons not
being strong numerically.
Fort Kuropatkin Fell.
Since the beginning of the lombard
ment the artillery fire from Fort Ku-
IoIdlklll mao DeeH CROWN SleaQllyt
weaker, and it having become apparent
that it had been practically silenced
the Japanese assaulted the forts. Fort
Kuropatkin is situated to the south Of
~Palichuang n to the northeast Of
the parade ground, on a low hill. 1t
derives its name from the time when
General Kuropatkin inspected it,
pointed out the weakness of the posi-
ton. n ordered that it be strength
ened as far as possible because of the
necessity OF protecting the water sup
ply. While situated in the chain of
main forts. Fort kuropatkin never has
been as strong as the others, and after
he Japanese. This capture lessons
further the security of the fort on
R.hilung mountain. which is now
threatened from IA new quarter as We'll
as from Palichuang.
At 5 o'clock in the afternoon of thea
10th the Japanese carried a supple-i
mentary fort. which from the lower
ground threatens the fort on Itz noun
tain. This ended the heavy fighting for
that DAY, although the Japanese later
We're compelled to resist several sor-
ties.
Bombardrrent, Then Assault.
During the, night the heavy lombard
ment of the Russian positions con-
tinued, the Japanese fire being directed
with particular vigor against another
supplementary fort 5000 yards to the
west of the forts or Itz mountain, and
regarded as highly important because
of it's bearing on the Itz and Anshu
mountain forts.
The next day after having pounded
this position numerically and until its
fire had ~slackened visibly, the Japanese
delivered their assault. They met with
IA stubborn resistance. They We're ex-
posed to the fire of machine guns and
rifles and thew r1o6n fro ,,f{1 oefo,t @~f
reach the crest of the slope. They
leaped over trenches and entertainments
and tore down the entanglements in
their path until at length they entered
the fort. The Russian troops there re-
fused to desert their position. even
in the face of the superior numbers
which confronted them, n desperate
hand to hand fighting occurred inside
the fort. Eventually almost the ent-
tire Russian garrison vas either killed
or wounded.
The foregoing information has been.
obtained from a Chinese of unimpeach-
able trustworthinesS.
Fortress Seemingly Doomed.
Military experts here are of the opin-
ion that If the Japanese capture either
.Rhilung or Kikwan forts or the Itz and
Anshu forts, the doom of Port Arthur
is sealed, and for this reason the i'm
portance Of the results obtained by the
Japanese in their latest assaults upon.
the Russian position is obvious.
AS the Chinese from whom the corre-
%sDondent of the Associated Press OBJ
tanned his information left Port Arthur,
the night of September 81, he is unable
to a whether the battle was renewed
on the 22d or not, although junks which
have come here bring reports of a light,
commandment on that day.
A team which has arrived here
from Port Dalmy confirms previous re.
ports that there was heavy fighting a:
Port Arthur on September "a.