The San Francisco call., 1904-10-06
Emperor Nicholas Receives
General StOessels Official
Report of the Four Days
Assault by japanese Upon
Defenses of Port Arthur

ST. PETERSBURG, Oct. s. 500 pm.
Emperor Nicholas has at last received
General Stoessels official report Of the
desperate four days assault OF the be-
siegers upon Port Arthur from Sep
tember 19 to September %, from which
1T appears that the unofficial report
from Chefu was by no means exagger-
ated. The Japanese displayed frenzled
bravery. They lost ten thousand men,
and their only success was the capture
of two redoubts guarding the water
works. They prepared for the assault
by a general bombardment and then
launched their attacks simultaneously
from the north and west. Night and
day they foIght under a cover Of
continual bombardment from their
siege guns, and finally reached the re-
doubts on the north side, but only
after the defenses there were COM
pletely demolished by shell fire from
the west
The japanese efforts were directed
chiefly against the commanding posi-
ton on High Mountain, which faces
Pigeon Bay. If 1t had fallen it's pos
session would have given the Japanese
a tremendous lever against the chain
of inner defenses. The carnage there
was terrible and eliminated Septe em-
Der %, when the Japanese succeeded in
reaching and occupying the Russian ar
mored shelter trenches, whence they
expected undoubtedly to storm the
summit. During the night Lieutenant
Poggorsky of the navy, at the head of
a detachment of volunteers, descended
upon the trenches and blew them up
with pyroxylin bombs, producing a
panic among the besiegers, who fled,
leaving the mountain side strewn with
dead. The Japanese then abandoned
further attempts, but after a day or
two to recuperate, according to Gen
eral StoessepS second dispatch, dated
September so, they resumed the bonn
bardment of the city and outer works,
and began to construct zigzag ap-
proaches, evidently hoping to get
a nearer position from which to launch
their next assault.
The loss Of the water works Is not
considered vital as there is a fresh
water lake and numerous wells as we'll
as condensing apparatus within the
defenseS.
General Stoessel recommends General
Kondratenko, Lieutenant Poggorsky
Colonel Irman Of the artillery, and
Captain Sychaf of the Fifth Siberian
regiment for the st. Georges Cross.
The complete character of the repulse
OF the japanese has evidently greatly
inspired the garrison Of Port Arthur
General Stoessel says the gallantry of
the Russian troops was beyond promise
and adds that the garrison will hold
out to the last drop of blood.
General Stoessel adds that practical
ly nothing remained of the water works
redoubts when the surviving Russians
evacuated them.
General StoesseIs dispatch, which
was dated September 80, concludes:
After bloody assaults from the 18th
to the 23d of September, there has been
fortress. On the night of September
23d the Japanese after being repulsed
by Lieutenant Poggorsky, fed in panic.
They are now working very actively
and are approaching by a tunnel and
entertainments. The bombardment
was maintained both upon the forts
and the buildings within the fortress
I'VE make sorties frequently driving
back the enemy. The repulse of the last
attack was especially due to Lieuten-
ant Poggorsky, General Kondratenko
Colonel Irman and Captain Sychaff
| The spirit of the troops is heroic
Wounded men are every day returning
from the hospitals to the ranks.
I'VE pray to God for victory and fol
the health Of your Majesty"
General Stoessels report created
great TeJOlclHS ana revived the nope III
his ability to defend the fortress After
the failure Of the storming operations
the War Office here would not be sur
| priSed if the Japanese changed theil
plans to a regular engineering siege
No fresh news has been received from
Mukden. According to the War Office.
information quiet continues there.
Grand Duke Boris will leave st
Petersburg in ten days to rejoin the
army.
Major General Orloff has been as
signed to duty on the general staff
thus ending the report that he would
be tried by court-martial and dis
missed from the army
Lieutenant General Grippenberg, whc
is to command the second Manchuriar
army, was received in audience by tn,
| Emperor to-day. He declined to be in
terviewed and will return to Wilma to
morrow. The general will leave for tn,
front during the present month.
| SDorffu1 Match Is COmDIeted.