Arizona republican., 1904-07-19

 leaving only cutposts there. Atdawn General Kashtalinski's column occu- pied these passes, driving back the Japanese advance posts.
 About 5:SO on the morning of July r, the Japanese in considerable strength and with numerous guns oc- cupied Wafankwan pass and the mountainous bluffs to the south on the flank of General Kashtalinski's column. From this position and from the crest of the mountains to the east of tie heights surmounted by the temple the enemy directed a very heavy rifle and artillery fire
 General Kashtalinski advanced to occupy the bluffs, sending three bat talicns. but the attempt failed, not withstanding the support given by the horse mountain battery as our field guns could not be brought into action cn account Of the nature of the ground At ab-ut s ]. m. General Keller. who was directing the fight around Ikhavuan, deemed it necessary to lend assistance to General Kashtalinski's column by bringing up from the gen eral reserves three battalions to the heights surmounted by the temple Tn order to maintain the positions we hld v ing to the enemy's pressure. to rein fierce immediately the troops in the fighting line, but these positions, ow- ing to their situation, were untene bie
 General Keller found the strength of the enemy so great compared with ours that he decided not to continue the fight and rot to bring up either special or general reserves or the ar tilIery, in view of the fact that in case of his ultimately taking the offensive it would be necessary to attack with- out the support of the field artillery.
 Tn consequence of th.s, General Keller decided about 10:30 to withdraw his troops to the positions originally occupied in the Yanzee Tass. The troops retired slowly, step by sep, and in perfect order. covered by the fire of field battery which had b-en brought into action.
 Toward midday an offensive move ment by the enemy in the direction cf the right flank of the YanZee pass po- 'sit.on developed and at the same time a Japanese mountain battery was brought into action in the village or Tsoudiaputse, tive and a half mics south of Ikhavuen. After three C. four shots had been fired from the third battery of the third brigade. which held the saddle of the south Yanzee pass, the Japanese battery was finally reduced to silence.
 The fight ceased at 3 p. m. and the troops returned to Ikhavuen.
 "The Japanese advance was stopped above the valley of the Iantakhe river. at a position occupied and maintained by us. In consequence of a sIeepleSs night and the heat of the day, our troops were greatly fatigued, having been over fifteen hours on foot and fighting. Our losses have mt yet been exactly ascertained, but General Ke,- Ter reports tlrt they exceed 1000.
 "The gallant twenty-fourth regiment suffered most. General Keller espe- cialIy mentions the activity, courage and cooIness shown by it's commanders. Col. Koschitz was severely wcuEded iE the leg, but remained in the ranks un- til the end of the action"
 General Kuropatkin precedes his re- port of the repulse Of Lieutenant General Kellers force with a lengthy statement of skirmishes by patrols which brings events up to July 1G. He does not mention any important en- gagement with the possible exception of the occupation of the heights noctb of Yoal!ntcza by Cossacks before de- tachment Of which the Japanese feI back