Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1904-10-20
WAR NOTES.


mt thereby to Kuropatkin, induced
that General to consider himself in
shape to assume the aggressive.
On Sunday Of last week he issued
rather pompous address to his army
announcing his intention to attack the
Japanese. relieve Port Arthur and drive
the Japs into the sea.
On Monday his entire line extending
from the Hun river across the valley
and railroad to the hills or mountains,
a distance of about thirty miles began
its advance, driving iu the Jap out
posts.
The advance was continued, Tuesday,
the japanese retiring and the Russians
capturing strong position on the Japs'
right flank, which it was expected
Kuroki would vigorously defend. Next
day, however, he drove wedge be-
tween it and fianking force, and re-
captured the position.
In the meantime Gen. Okus army
had defeated the right wing of the Rus
sian army. the Russian centre had
been repulsed by Gen. Nodzu, and by
Friday the entire Russian army was re-
treating.
On Saturday and Sunday there was
fighting all along the line, the Russians
continuing their retreat to position
along branch of the Hun river.
In this, the greatest battle yet fought,
in this war, about half a million men
were engaged-25O. 900 on either side.
The Russians had the advantage OF
longer range field guns and good caval-
~, while the Japs are better marksmen
and are quicker in their marching
To offset the longer range of the Rus
sian field guns the Japs took advantage
of the darkness and the mists to secure
nearer positions, concealing their move
ments by every known device, after
which their superior craftsmanship
caused the Russians to move. The
japanese gun-freis said to have ami
hilated whole regiments. and one bleed
ing captain reported to his commander
that he alone was left of his company.
Beside this there were some desperate
bayonet charges, and hand-to-hand con
hicts.
In was the bloodiest battle of the wal
and it is estimated that sixty thousand
men were hit during the week. The
Japanese Commander reported that his
troops buried 1000 Russian dead on
Thursday night, and had buried about
5000 more of the same up to Saturday
night. He estimated the entire Rus
sian loss at 40, 900 and his own at 20, 600
Twenty thousand wounded Russians
were sent to Mukden by rail.
The Russian army was again defeat
ed with great loss in men and field guns
but it was not routed, the lack of cav
airy by the Japanese preventing theil
swiftly following up the victory.
This condition of affairs makes this
whole war a mere matter of attrition :
or human butchery ad nauseum-and II
is Lo wonder that the Japs have signifi
ed their willingness to consider terms
of peace.
On Monday and Tuesday the Rus
SLAMS made fierce assaults upon the Jal
left and centre, and seem to have hao
the best OF it, retaking an importan
position. One Jap division was caugh
in trap and lost thousand men ant
some guns. After the fighting the dead
of both sides lay in heaps, mingled to-
gether on the field with rifles broken in
hand -to-hand conflicts.
Yesterday the two armies were facing
each other on either side of the Shahk'
rivera branch of the Hun: and rains
had made the roads heavy.
LIKE A SLAUGHTER HOUSE.
One of the bloodiest episodes of the
desperate fighting between the Japs and
Russians last week occurred at the vii
lage of Endotiula. west of the railroad,
and on the neighboring heights east Of
railroad.
The japanese had been driven out OF
these positions with terrible losses, but
on Wednesday evening they concentrat
ed such murderous artillery fire on the
village that it became necessary for the
Russians to withdraw, the railroad,
however, being held The same even
ing the Russian commander gave i'm.
perative orders to reoccupy Endctiula
The Zaraisk regiment, without firin &
a single shot, marched under cover OF
the darkness and bayoneted several
battalions of the japanese, many Of
whom died as they slept.
A few Japanese escaped and sought
shelter in stacks of Chinese corn, but
the. Russians, carried away by the
frenzy of revenge, rushed on the sur
vivors and literally tore up their bodies
with bayonets. The Russians then
rolled themselves into the Japanese
blankets.
The next morning the Japanese again
shelled out the regiment, while their
artillery came on at run and secured
position east Of the railroad. Again
Gen. Kuropatkin ordered the Russians
to retake the position, but the efforts OF
his troops were in vain. The Russians
could not reach the japanese trenches,
80 whitening was the japanese fire, and
only few returned from where the COM
papies had charged. The companies in
some cases were commanded by SER
geants after all the officers had fallen.
One officer, his face streaming with
blood, limped up to general, who WAS
furious.
where is your company asked the
general.
s'This is all that have left of it, re-
piled the officer. 1T was like q slaugh-
ter house."
Golden Wedding.
The fiftieth anniversary Of the mar
riage of Mr.. and Mrs. J. J. Stevenson of