The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-07-31

was split and torn by the deaIenlnS,
crashing reports of the guns; the dull
booming Of the distant shots furnished
background of deep bass for the vi
cious kissing of the hurrying messen-
gers of death; exploding shrapnel shells
formed clouds of smoke overhead, into
which were thrown fountains OF dust
and sand when the shells burst on the
ground upon impact, showering bullets
and sDlinters around.
The Japanese fire was at first concen-
trated upon the eastward hill, held by
small force of Russians, and by IL
o'clock this part of the position was lii
orally afiame-enough to try the cour-
age of the bravest soldier. When this
had lasted four or five hours one after
another of the Russian positions be-
came untenable.
In the meantime the gunners serving
the Russian batteries beyond the hills
redoubled their energies, and the Japa-
nese were. evidently nonplused by the
fierceness of the fire from the unlo-
catable batteries. They even directed
their attention to the Russian right,
showering projectiles on small hill
which was quite unoccupied. Then the
japanese shifted their fire to the Rus
sian center, but not a single man was
withdrawn therefrom.
GUNNERS CHANGE POSITION.
The fire from the Japanese dimin-
ished about ; o'clock and ceased alto
gether a half-hoUr later, whereas the
Russian batteries continued to fire.
When the japanese gunners reopened
the artillery duel later they had
changed their position to the westward,
whence they obtained an uninterrupted
range of the plain behind the Russian
position, and their projectiles began
falling dangerously near the Russian
batteries. The Chinese villages in the
vicinity suffered terribly. The whole
plain was plowed and pitted by the ex-
plosion of the shells.
With the approach of evening the
Russians had a little relief from the
heat, but none from the Japanese, the
only difference being that the flashes
Of the Japanese guns were distinguish
able on the slopes of the hills facing
the Russians, revealing their exact po-
sition by the red sparks of each can
mons mouth against the somber shad-
ow, followed by the bursting Of shells
over the Russians.
The wild beauty of the scene had
now reached it's zenith, the lombard
ment slowly diminishing in intensity,
and a half hour later profound 81
lence reigned, broken only now and
then by the rattle of infantry volleys
from the distant portions of the field,
where the battle was still dragging
on.
Upon reaching Sinmintin the same
evening the correspondent found that
cthe place had already been abandoned
by the Russian troops, though he was
for a time under the impression that
they had merely gone out to take up
positions at the front. In fact, he was
convinced that the fight must have
been a Russian victory, since over the
great extent of field which had come
under his observation for thirteen
hours the Japanese at no point
seemed able to advance. Therefore,
great was his surprise on Monday
morning when he 9woke to find the
Russian army retreating.
RETREAT IN GOOD ORDER.
Jumping into the saddle, the cor
encountered a large force of Russian
cavalry covering an infantry regiment,
which was moving toward Tatchekiao.
On reaching that town the CORE
spondent found everything prepared
for its evacuation. The last train left
Tatchekiao at about IL o'clock, at
which time the japanese were already
bombarding the place. Notwithstand-
ing the fire, and even the rapid ap-
proach of the Japanese. the Russian
retreat was carried out in perfect or
der, although the men and animals
suffered terribly from the sitting heat.
The Russian stores of -four and
other provisions at Tatchekiao were
burned and as the correspondent rode
northward immense columns of black
smoke were rising along the horizon
behind him and until he approached
Haicheng at o'clock last night he
could hear the distant rumbling of the
Japanese guns.
SLAV GUNS WE'LL CONCEALED.
ST. PETERSBURG, July 3O.-A spe-
cial dispatch from Liaoyang,. giving a,
graphic picture of the fight at Tatche-.
kiao, explains that the Russian immu-
nifty from damage by the furious Japa-.
nese bombardment was due to the fact
that the Russian guns were mostly be-
hind a range of steep hills and were
concealed cleverly by high grass and
trees, ando that the Chinese therefore
were unable to Photograph the position
of the guns, as they formerly had done,
to the Japanese artillerymen.
The Japanese had many large caliber
guns and used chiefly shrapnel They
used also high explosive shells. The
fight was almost wholly an artillery
duel and was magnificent spectacle.
The crest of the hills held by the Rus
slams was converted into the semblance
of volcano, and earth was thrown up
in clouds by the continuous rain of
bursting shells, until sand and dust
hung overhead and fire among the trees
and grass, started by the shells, added
sitting smoke and heat to the awful
glare of the sun. The shrapnel like
great, white-winged birds, sailed over
head. The moan and drone of their