The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-11-04
Operations Before Port Arthur
Have Been Gigantic in
Their Scope
MANY TRICKS RESORTED
TO BY THE CRAFTY JAPS
Outer Forts Are Finally Captured and
Held, But Thousands of Men
Were Sacrificed In the
Struggle.

Headquarters of the Third Japanese ar
my, In front of Port Arthur. November
2, via chefoo. November 3.-(Censored)-
When the Japanese drove the Russians
from their strong position on the last
range of hills in front of the fortress
by a surprise attack July 80, the Rus
slams retired to the forts, but they also
strongly held previously prepared advance
lines to prevent the Japanese from clos
ing In on the fortified ridges. This line
of forts was fourteen miles long, forming
a semi-circle five miles northwest of Port
Arthur.
The headquarters on the 18th were at
the village of Swanta gkaitow, close to
the railroad and 10 miles north of Port
Arthur The associated press correspon-
dent upon his arrival there was welcomed
by General Nogi who said he was just in
time to see the conclusion of a successful
campaign and the capture of Port Arthur.
The correspondent went to the front on
the 10Th and saw the positions from the
highest peak of Fenghoang mountain at a
range of five miles from Port Arthur.
and two miles west of the railroad.
General Attack Planned.
It was evident that a general attack
had been planned. The railroad to Port
Dalney was taxed to its capacity in bring
ing troops, seige guns, ammunition and
supplies to the front and the roads were
crowded with marching troops and trans
ports.
Great activity prevailed everywhere in
the Japanese lines A good view of the
operation could be obtained from the
front Port Arthur. Graded among the
hills only the outskirts were visible
backed by the beetling brow OF Tigers
Tail peninsula further south to the right.
towering the Jagged ridge of the Liaotin
mountains.
AT daylight on the 21st the Japanese
batteries of the center division concen-
trated their fire on the Banusan and kek-
wan forts, but despite the artillery sup
port the Japanese were driven out of the
east Kekwan fort by an attack of a
masked by of Russians from the Chinese
wall. The assault threatened to result In
an utter failure to secure a foothold on
the fortified ridge, and General Nogt
summoned the generals of the left and
center division to consult with him con-
cerning the operations.
Charged Up the Slope.
During his absence at II in the morning,
without special orders. several companies
of a regiment of the center division
emerged from their trenches at the foot
of the east Bajusan fort and in tens
and twentes charged up the slope to the
broken wall of the trench around the
crest of the fortified hill under cover
of a splendid shrapnel practice from their
field batteries in the valley. The Russians
| hehind tha wall and In the fort DOured
out hail of rifle bullets and the machine
and quick-firing guns belched forth on
the Japanese. The latter were forced
back until the slope was covered with
bodies, but a third attempt was made
and a score of Japanese reached the
broken wall The terrible fire of the
Russians however, started their retire.
ment
Suddenly Japanese officer regardless
Of danger stood up, called out an order,
planted his regimental flag on the wall
and was Immediately riddled with Rus
sian bullets. The effect on the Japanese
Of this sacrifice was instantaneous. The
retreating infantrymen stopped In their
tracks, hesitated and then charged back,
fought like demons, jumped over the wall
charged the Russians with bayonets and
forced many of them up the glacis over
the ramparts and into the fort.
The fact that they had reached the
corner wall on the dead ground, enabled
the Japanese to hold on, though the en-
tire Russian fire was concentrated on
that point for six hours. The japanese
were reinforced from time to time by
rushes made by their comrades up the
death way from the trenches, and they
stubornly held the corner wall and a
small section Of the Russian trenches TIL
8 o'clock when two companies of another
regiment worked through the trenches
and attacked the west Banjusan fort
which was captured at o'clock after a
slight resistance, the Japanese being un.
able to occupy 1t as the magazine was
blown up. tut they held the trench line
around the crest.
Seemed to Court Death.
The reckless courage of the Japanes,
infantry was wonderfully demonstrated
in the capture Of the two Banjusan forts
They seemed to court rather than fea
death.
The dawn of the 2Srd developed
peculiar position. The assault Of tn,
previous afternoon had resulted in pierc
ing the Russian fortified ridge east o
Port Arthur in the form of a wedge
while the entire line east and west wa
still strongly held. The concentration o
the Japanese reserves in the Shuishi val
ley In front of the captured forts showe
that it was the evident intention of tn
Japanese TO use their foothold on tn
fortified ridge to segregate the easter
forts, and carry the whole ridge by as
sault. At daylight the Russians concen
trated their shrapnel fire on the cap
tured forts, and the Japanese south Of
Kekwan were elected from their posi-
tions. The Banjusan forts were sub
jected to an awful fire, but the japanese
in possessi n of them continued making
bomb-proof trenches on the hills. There
was a fierce bombardment all day
One afternoon battleship apparently
the Retvizan steamed out OF the har-
Dor and half dozen torpedo boats chased
the Japanese torpedo boats on duty OFF
Port Arthur, the latter rapidly retoining
their larger war vessels In the offing
General Assault Planned.
There was tremendous activity near lie
rear line sending forward ammunition.
The news came In whisper that a gen.