Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-06-10

andguns were placed in readiness. but
by far the greater part of the artillery
was kept well back out of the range
of possible precision of the enemy
At one time II batteries were packed
under cover of q hill on the Witt
road about two miles from the town
Just beyond them was another pack
CT seven batteries.
The Japanese battery positions
were such that the guns could search
every part of the hills held by th'
Russians, except those immediately
back of Kulien Cheng, where tn,
range was too great for effective
shelling.
Along the crests of a series OF
high, steep hills, ranging north anC
south and laying half mile up
stream from Kulien Cheng, tn,
Russians had an earthwork more
than mile long. 1t was of the ole
kind and there is nothing about il
now to show whether they built i,
themselves, months ago, or occupied
it as they found it. 1t may have
been constructed in the war between
Japan and China.
Directly in front of this earth
work runs valley which traverses
the range of hills lying along the
river and connects with large valley,
which runs parallel with the river,
something more than mile inland.
The river end of this trench rests
upon a steep conical rock which
rises abruptly out Of the water to a
considerable height. On a hill
between the eonical rock and Kulieu
Cheng, and lower than the rock
three batteries were posted. Guns
were also taken across the All river
at one time and posted on ridge
which is in one of the small trans
verse valleys entering the range that
borders on the Yalu.
For short distance upstream east
Of the conical rock trenches were
made for infantry % or 80 feet above
the water.
This was about the extent of the
Russian preparations to prevent the
crossing of the river. Aforce coming
down upon it from the east would
have been terribly punished in at
tempting to cross the valley in front
of it in order to drive out it's de-
tenders.
The japanese estimate the Russian
force In and about Kulien Cheng to
have been 10000. The Japanese re-
port that the Russian line extended
back from along the Al river about
six miles, but it is doubtful if there
was any considerable force holding
that line, for when Japanese divis-
ion crossed that river the Russians
seemed to have lost contact with their
enemy, to his immense profit.
The country behind the Russians
position, however, offered much the
same advantages for concealment of
troops as the Korean side gave GEN
eral Kuroki, and they must have
been able to hide their men more
effectually than we thought. They
had parties out every day as far as
Tiger Hill, and the smaller hills
beyond the Al, but never any con-
silerabla force that was seen. Cos
sacks were continually dashinG about
the sandy level of Chin Ping Island,
and once they took Hotchkiss gun
up Tiger Hill and fired a few shells
at Wiju. Several bodies of infantry
men were also seen occasionally. Men
were always to be observed standing
ahoEt the gun positions, and on the
hill back of AulieE Gheng, bHt only
in squads.
The Japanese practically crossed
immediately upon the completion of
their plans. In fact, General Ku.
roki says be got over easier than he
expected to do.
General Kuroki reached his head
quarters at the place called Shokdo,
two miles back of Wiju, on the after
noon of April 2l. 1t was three days
after that before the last of the
bridge material came up and the
work of driving the Russians back
began. The enemy then held Kurito
and Chin Ping Islands.
On the night of April % work
was begun on bridges connecting
the mainland with Kurito and
kinteto. On April 26th 600 men
of one regiment of the Imperial
Guard Division were sent to drive
the Russians ont of Kurito, There
was only small detachment of
Russians on the island, reported by
the japanese afterward as as men of
the Twenty-second East Siberian
Regiment. They discovered the
Japanese boats crossing the first
channel, and delivered a sharp fire
upon them, which resulted in several
casualties.
AS soon as the boats neared the
shore the Japanese sprang ont and
rushed forward, hoping to catch the
Russians as they were in their boats
Icrossing the second channel. Bat
quick as they were, it was a little
too slow. The Japanese lost in all
SO men that morning. They brought
back one wounded Russian officer
and found the body of another
Their object, however, was accom-.
plished. The Russians were out OF
kurito, and they were in a position
to go ahead with their york Of prep.
aration for the crossing. ~
at that time great deal of bridge
material with many pontoons wa.
massed just behind low hill almost
on the bank of the southern channel
of the Yalu, couple of miles below
Win. The care which had beer
taken to hide so much of the otbe,
preparations had not been showr
here, and it looked as if it were the
intention to let the Russians see
what was going on, MEANWHILE, &
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