The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-13
The Evacuation of Liao Yang.

Lao Yang, September 4.-Via Tien
Tsin, September 10.-The japanese at
S o'clock yesterday evening discover
ed that the Russians had evacuated
Lao Yang, and at IL O'CLOCK they sent
scouting parties to the southern and
western walls of the city. At o'clock
this morning the troops of the victori-
GUS army quietly entered and occupied
Lao Yang General Kuropatkin's for
mer base and stronghold. This sue
cess was achieved after five days OF
glorious fighting.
The character of the Japanese ad-
vance apparently had served as a
warning to General Kuropatkin to
make sure of his retreat and his
transport was on August % seen NOV
ing rapidly out of Lao Yang over the
railroad bridge.
At 10 O'Clock on the morning of the
goth. General Kuropatkin's staff NOV
ed out of Lao Yang. At the same time
rifle fire was heard drawing nearer
to the railroad station. and this was
an indication of the sure advance of
the Japanese left army. The fences
around all the houses at Lao Yang
had been removed in order to fac1l-
itate the movement of wagons ana
troops. Wounded men, Of whom none
were seen on the 29th, were trailing
along the roads from the south ana
southwest into Lao Yang on the 3Oth.
The Russians made use of field bal
loon all day long on the 50th, and by
means of it they got the range of one
Japanese battery. which they succeed
ed in putting ont of action. AS gen
eral thing, however, they failed TO hnd
the enemy's batteries or his troops,
while the Japanese continued to 81
lence Russian battery after RusSlan
battery.
By 4 o'clock in the afternoon. the
Japanese shrapnel fire was connneo
TO the position at Chiao Fantun, where
the Russians were disputing every NIL
lock with the cremy. The Japanese
made repeated but unsuccessful as
saults upon this position. The Russian
| casualties for the 29th and Goth to-
| tailed more than 5000 men.
The Japanese. from low range OF
| hills to the southeast and south OF
| Shushan. began shelling the northern
| end of the Russian line at Shushan
at a Quarter before ten on the morning
of the 31st This artillery fire was
preceded and accompanied by lnIantry
| rushes over the valley and the lower
| hills south of the road. They beSar
before dawn and were continued unit
evening, the japanese officers urging
their worn-out and fainting men with
the points of their swords. There was
very hard fighting at round topped
hill in the Russian line opposite the
point where the two Japanese armie;
under Generals NodZu and Oku came
together The Russian position here
was protected with wire entangle
ments, and small body OF Russian
troops absolutely refused to retire. 1r
one trench seven men fought gallantlN
until they were surrounded by the
japanese. At the end of this SHARP
fighting. the Russians were hurlins
down sand bags upon the enemy
They succeeded in killing one Japa
nese officer and injuring another, aftel
which they surrendered, and the hill
was occupied by the enemy.
At o'clock in the evening the fight
ing which had ragged all day long cen
tered along the south road, where TO
two hours there was a heavy artiller,
fire and a vast amount OF ammunition
was expended. The valley in front ant
under the Russian guns during thi
artillery duel was an inferno Of shrek
ing and moaning shrapnel, while be
ycnd. the Russian shells burst contir
uously at the head of the Japsnes
advance.
During the day the Russian rifle FIR
was indescribably furious. The Rus
sian trenches for distance of severa
miles threw out ali day long coiitin
ucus hail OF lead, accompanied by up