The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-05-05
Further Details Of Bloody
Fight Of Jap and Russ.
EXECUTION APPALLING
In Fasty Retreat Russians Leave
Many Dead and Wounded to Be
Cared fer by Victors-Many
Field Guns Captured.

Further details are given IN an AS
sociated Press dispatch from Chefoo
regarding the great battle between
Russians and Japs> Sunday. The spe-
cial says:
After all their bcasting of superior
ity on land, the Russians nave been
signally defeated in their Gs-st impor-
tant battle with the japanese.
The Russian army, fully 10000
strong, has been driven from it's chos-
en- positions on the Manchurian side
of the Yalu river, and is in full re-
treat to the interior, leaving dead and
wounded to be cared for by the victo-
rious Japanese.
Fighting For Almost Week.
The Japanese victory was achieved
after five days of fighting, in which
the losses on both sides were heavy.
The killed and wounded are varicusly
estimated Some accounts place the
Russian loss in killed alone at 1900,
while the Japanese death roll, it is
said, will reach 1000.
: According to eye-witnesses Of the
engagements, who reached Chefoo on
Monday afternoon, on dispatch boat,
the fighting was of the most determined
character the Russians at many points
making a brave resistance, but in the
end being compelled to give way be-
fore the daring Of the japanese.
The japanese were in every instance
on the aggressive, the Russians fight
ing behind intrenchments. That the
Japanese did not lose more heavily is
due to the terrible effectiveness Of
their artillery fire, which demoralized
the Russians and also to the skill
shown by the Japanese generals in
ordering flank movements. ,
The japanese sharpshooters also did
most effective work, picking off scores
of Russian officers whose brilliant
uniforms rendered them conspicuous
targets. Among the Russian officers
wounded were Generals Sassultch and
Kashtalinsky, who were in command
along the line of the Yalu. Both Of
these officers were shot by Japanese
sharpshootcrs while attempting to ral-
ly their men. : -
The most desperate engagement or
the week-1ong battle occurred at An
tung. which the Russians made a de-
termined effort to hold en- account Of
it's strategic value. At Antung the
fragments of the Russian army, which
had been driven from position after
position, rallied and, urged by the Of
ficers. prepared to stay the advance
of the japanese. n
. Death-Dealing Fire.
The Japanese advanced on Antung
from three sides. On every point of
vantage they planted their batteries
and at a given signal fire from many
guns was opened on the demoralzed
Russians. The precision of the Jap
anese fire was marvellous and the ex-
ecution done was appalling. Entire
companies CT Russians melted away
under the rain Of shells. After an
hour Of this cannonading, the Rus
slams broke and fed by the only ave-
nue. of escape left to them. Had hey
delayed their fight an hour longer,
they would have been surrounded and
either annihilated or forced to sur
render, as a japanese column was has
tening to close the line of retreat.
AS the Russians fed from A1tung,
they used the torch and the Japanese
entered the city to find it in flames.
From the Yalu to Antung the coun-
try is strewn with the impedimeats Of
the Russian army. The ground is
strewn with guns, standards. KNAPP
sacks, dead horses and dead men.
Among the trophies taken by the
japanese are % cannon, many of them
quick-fring. So swiftly did the JAP
anese advance that some of these guns
were captured before they could be
fired.