Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1904-07-06
WANT MOLTEN PASS
Russians Attacked. Kuroki's
Forces and Were Repulsed.
COMMANDER WOUNDED, 200 DEAD
Cars Troops Charged the Position
Three Times with the Bayonct.
When Beaten, Jnps Pursued
Them Three Miles.


LONDON, July General Kurol1i
has reported to Tokyo that two bat
talions of Russians attacked the Japa.
nese outposts in Molten pass at dawn
under cover of dense fog and were
repulsed.
They returned to the assault and
charged three times with the bayonet
before they We're finally driven off.
The Japanese pursued them for three
miles to the westward of Molten pass.
The Russians retired before over
whelm1ng numbers after ascertaining
the strength of the Japanese forces
The Russian losses are officially stated
to be 200.
The general staff at st. Petersburg
has received the following dispatch
from Lieutenant General Sacharoff, the
chief of staff of General Kuropatlxtn:
'"The advance guard Of the Russian
force operating east of Liaoyang oc-l
cupied position at Langtse pass. To
ward evening the same day our scouts
ascertained that detachment of the
enemy's advance guard, 1900 strong,
had occupied the villages of Ekhavuan
.
main force having remained in Fenshui
and Molten passes.
Sat this moment we discovered the
movement of a Japanese detachment,
consisting of battalion of infantry,
to turn our left flank position in the
Langtse pass in the direction of Liam
diansian.
In order to learn the strength of
the enemys position in front of Lang
tse pass the commander of tie detach-
ment ordered out was REINFORCED, and
accommodating party of ten compa-
mics was sent in the direction of Elk
havuan under the command Of Colonel
Letschitsky. With the view Of making
demonstration insuring the return of
Letschitsky's detachment three compa-
mics under Lieutenant Colonel Garntt-
sky marched to Mahoumizza about q
mile and a half south Of Ekhavuan, to
the crossing of the roads leading to
Sinkhi and the Lok river passes.
"Garnitsky's column reached the
crossroads and 5dislodged a company of
the enemy's advance guard, which was
almost annihilated. simultaneously
LeIschitsky's column dislodged the en-
emy's advance posts without firing a
shot and approached the foot of the
heights, surmounted, by temple. The
temple is less than mile east Of El1ha-
YUAN, where, although exposed to a
heavy frontal and flank fire, our troops
dashed forward and dislodged the Jap
anese from their intrenchments and
occupied the pass. AS tire enemy was
preparing to deliver frontal and flank
attack our column then retired, as pre-
viously instructed. Three companies
Of Garnitsky's force occupied the posi-
ton which they had been ordered to Sc
cure.
when Letschltsky's force began to
withdraw the enemy opened d heavy
fire from the heights. III spite OF this
the column retired in perfect order
Brave Letschitsky remained continu-
ously on the fighting line and directed
the column with remarkable ability
and coolness He was the last to re-
tire, with his chief of staff and adju-
tant.
"Our casualties We're Letschitsky
wounded, Colonel Poapelow, Lieuten-
ant Colonel Trakhemovsky, Captain
Soloieff, Lieutenants NIarkoff, Latkine,
Bobroslavesky and Kozine Second Cap
tain Paly and several other officers
wounded and 200 soldiers killed or
wounded.
II observed the fighting with my
staff from the Tkhacouan tower and I
can personally testify to the conduct of
the troops. Our re-enforcements have
occupied Liandiansian.
1.-THE enemy's principal forces are at
present concentrated at Vandiapudze,
in the direction of Haicheng and at
Schiskouyo, about ten miles west of
| Siuyen, on the road to Kaichou."
The fact that Lieutenant General
Sacharoff witnessed the fighting near
Molten pass is taken here to indicate
that he is in command of the forces
east Of Liaoyang, which include the
army corps under Lieutenant General
Count Keller.
The desperate character Of the fight
ing is shown by the repeated bayonet
charges, the Russians busting the Jap
anese from the trenches.
The fighting around Senuchen shows
that the Japanese are determined to
hold the ground to the south as well as
Dalin pass until favorable opportu-
nifty presents itself for an advance on