Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-09-17
JAPANESE ADVANCE
Russia Hears Oyama Is Try
ing to Flank Mukden.
THINKS THE REPORT SUSPICIOUS
Hardly Likely That the Enemy Hai
Sufficiently Recovered From the
Late Battle to Begin New
OperatfOns.

Operations.
ST. PETERSBURG, Sept. 1.-THE
war office has heard the report of an
apparent japanese concentration
against the tanks of General Kuropat-
kin's army preparatory to an advance
toward Mukden. While it is not in a
position to absolutely confirm or deny
the report, it would surprise the wal
office should Field Marshal Oyama
have been able in such a short time to
organize his forces for a serious adj
vance northward.
of Liaoyang show that the First and
Third Siberian corps after bravely
withstanding the onslaught Of six divi-
sions of the Japanese army under Gen
erals Oku and Nodzu while holding q
position south of %Liaoyang received or
ders to cross the river on Sept. / and
join the Tenth corps in advancing
against General Kuroki, who was
threatening the Russian positions.
Meanwhile the defense of the Russian
position on the southern bank of the
river was intrusted to the Second and
Fourth corps, which were given posi-
tions around the city. The center of
gravity had now been transferred to
the right bank Of the river. The Sew
enteenth corps, which had been sta
toned there, was subjected on Aug.
81 to a heavy bombardment by Japa-
nese artillery situated north of 'Sy-
kwantun. The tactical key of this po
the japanese could be seen crossing
the river at Wankwantun. Nine COM
panies of the Tenth European regiment
held this hill, supported on their right
by the Bolkhoff regiment, with the Ne
zhinsk regiment in G Here oc-
Cured the most brilliant encounter and
the most desperate fighting of the
whole battle. On Sept. | the Japanese
concentrated their artillery fire upon
this hill and by evening occupied it.
The Nezhinsk regiment was ordered
the next day to retake the hill, and
after artillery preparation, headed by
its colonel on horseback, the regiment
tried to rush the heights. The Japa-
nese fire was terrific and moved down
whole companies, but the Nezhinsks
went on, gaining ground inch. by inch
till finally they reached the top. There
there was a ~frightful hand to hand
struggle. The Japanese were obliged
to fall back, and the Nezhinsk regi-
ment occupied the hill, which they
managed to hold until evening. Then,
unable longer to withstand the conccn-
trated artillery fire of the Japanese.
the Nezhinsks had to climb down. Its
terrible fight cost the regiment more
its officers. The height will henceforth
be known among the Seventeenth corps
as 'Nezhinsk hill"
1t was decided on the night of Sept.
8 70 abandon Liaoyang. The following
day all the stores were removed from
the forts around the city, from the
Russian settlement and from LAO
yang, and the dead were buried and
sentries gradually withdrawn. A ter
rifle hail of projectileS was falling in
the city, especially in the church
square and around the house where
General Kuropatkin had been residing.
The evacuation of the railway sta
ton was carried out under a heavy
fire. The railroad men showed the
most admirable GOODNESS and .disci-
pline. There were not enough trains to
carry all the artillery. At the last mo-
ment the First Siberian flying artillery
procured an empty truck. upon which
the soldiers loaded their six inch NOR
tars by hand and then pushed the
truck across the river under n direct
fire of shells just before the bridge
was destroyed. Reconnaissance opera
lions were greatly impeded by the
standing crops of Chinese corn, which
Is fourteen feet in height.
There were many narrow escapes
owing to the similarity of the Russian
uniforms with those of the Japanese.
Serious results were prevented, how
ever. by the Russian officers directing
that the men must not shoot except on
specific orders. The Japanese, on the
other hand. destroyed the whole of
their own Forty-flrst regiment by fir
ing upon them In mistake for a Rus
sian force.