The Savannah morning news., 1904-11-04

sian machine guns, previously well
placed, swept the fire along the lines,
while the rifles blszed with continual
rattle.
The Japanese captured the Banju-
san forts, outfianking the Russian
forces, and slowly forcing their lines
back to the foot of the fortified hills
Though the Japanese plan of attack
was destroyed by the Russian counter
attack the Japanese fought with
splendid determination. Slowly the
Russians were driven back up the
slopes, fighting desperately with rifles.
Russian Lights skiIlfuIIy Worked.
The Russian machine guns were used
with great effect when the Japanese
lines were lighted up by the search
lights, while the fort guns pounded in
the valley. The Japanese artillery was
unable to fire at this point, as the
Japanese forces were mixed.
The Skillful working of the Russian
star-lights and searchlights were ut
terly unexpected and bewildering.
They never failed to locate the Jap
anese lines which offered splendid
marks for the Russian rifles and ma
chine guns and rendered the japanese
machine guns Of little use, as they were
located and silenced by quick-firers
before they could do any execution.
The Russians along the whole line
fought i'm the blackest, darkness and
the Japanese with the most dazzling
light in their faces. The rattle OF
musketry, the laundering Of the Rus
san guns, the purring of the machine
guns, the bursting of star-lights, and
the flashing of searchlights along the
whole line was a wonderfully impress
sive sight. The fight lasted contin-
uously for six hours, till dawn, when
the outhankers were forced back over
the captured fortified hills, followed by
the Japanese, who despite the fire Of
the forts captured the forts and join
ed their force from the valley. AS
the Russian outnankers were driven in,
Keelkwan fort fired. The previous day,
under cover of a tremendous bombard-
ment, the eastern fortified ridge and
later the east Bantusan fort were set
on fire by Japanese shells and burned
all day.
The japanese fleet appeared in the
offing and engaged the Russian sea-
ward forts. There was a furious ar
tillery duel during the night and the
center division again assaulted East
Banjusan fort, but was unsuccessful.
The scene during the night, the burst
ing Of starlight shells, the flashing OF
four powerful searchlights from the
eastern Golden hill fort and Chair hill
forts, the roar Of the big guns and
the rattling of musketry presented a
weird and wonderful sight.
stOrmed Them Again.
Before dawn on the 22nd the center
division made third attempt to cap
ture the higher fortified ridge of Ash
hill, the new Banjusan forts, on the
higher ridge and the rear forts. The
Banjusan forts were stormed and cap
tured. the Japanese pursuing the Rus
SLAMS who defended them. Two hum
dred japanese officers and men were
killed
with daylight the Japanese artillery
started terrific bombapdment. Every
gun from the Japanese left TO the CEN
ter concentrated its fire on the eastern
end Of the fortified ridge. As the bonn
bardment went on, 1t Increased I'm VOL
ume as the guns from the center and
west Joined in Il. and swept the ridge
at the apex OF Port Arthur.
The storm Of bursting shells lasted
for half an hour, during which time
the awful, concentrated fire awepf the
ridge from end 10 end. over 400 gum
roared IN rapid succession until the
entire ridge was enveloped In a cloud
OF smoke. For the time every Rus
sian fort was sienced When the
smoke cleared away Il was seen that
the left division had advanced through
the captured forts.
During the night OF the 2fth the
ranks Of the japanese were so decl-
mated by the furious shrQpnel fire of
the Russians that they were forced 70
retire 10 the valley below the captured
forts. and what might have been
successful general assault. with the
capture ~ the fortified ridge east ~
Port Arthur. was converted by the
Russian tactics into "a repuise. redeem
Continued on Blfsh Rages