The San Francisco call., 1904-09-07

MUKDEN, Sept 6.-The following
message describing the earlier events
OF the japanese attack on General
Stakelberg's corps southwest of Lao
yan on August so was written on the
battlefield by Kirilof, the war corre-
spondent, and sent to Mukden for
transmission just before he was shot
through the lung:
This morning around Liaoyang
guns Numbered increasingly. The
heights forming a semi-circle around
the city were dotted with jets of flame
and little black and white clouds. The
spectacle was clearly visible from the
water tower OF Liaoyang. The Rus
sian left alone was not engaged.
AT o'clock the correspondent rode
TO the Russian center, where the Jap
anese were concentrating in an at
tempt to break through, and climbed
the neighbOring heights, following a
detachment sent to relieve the skirm-
ishers who had been covering the bat
terry commanded by Pokotiloff, one of
the heroes of Kiuleincheng. The jap
arese, according to custom, were
shelling places where they believed
the Russian reserves were located. Be-
fore the correspondent could reach
the battery he had to cross a danger
zone Of loo yards. projectiles falling
and bursting on il until the very
ground seemed to quiver with wrath.
TOUCHING BATTLEFIELD SCENE.
There was a touching scene when
the skirmishers were reached. A Rus
sian soldier met brother whom he
had last seen in their native village.
There were joyous greetings and
quick exchange of news from home.
Then each went his way and settled
down 10 the work of firing, coolly and
deliberately. The japanese fire was
spasmodic. Their bullets sang like
birds as they sped overhead and the
Russians cracked jokes about it.
Two hours later the correspondent
reached the battery and found that
Pokotilon and another officer, Cos
troff, had been killed. Out of sixty
gunners forty were killed or wounded.
Captain Tarasoff was in charge of the
battery. His quiet courtesy recalled
the hero of one of Count Tolstois nov
els. Fifty yards away was splendid
looking gunner. whose duty it was to
record the success or failure of each
shot-the grim song of death, with
deadly messengers hurtling all around
hjm-but the Russian gunner stood
erect and utterly without needing the
danger to which he was exposed.
The Russian officers had not eaten
anything since the previous day and
the correspondent shared with them
what provisions he had. The taste of
food caused them to realize the inten-
sity Of their hunger. Prudence urged
the correspondent 10 leave the spot,
but he was fascinated"
SOLDIER FINISHES MESSAGE.
Here the message ended. The officer
who sent forward Kiriloffs last dis
patch added:
'hirilof, who was an enthusiast in
his work. had gained universal respect
and sympathy. He was shot through
the right lung while standing by our
battery and fell back, suffering in
his mouth. Yet his devotion TO duty
enabled him to overcome his sufferings
He insisted upon being placed on
and file his dispatch. 1t took FIVE hours
Liaoyang. When he reached there
Kirilof was so exhausted and weak
from loss of blood that we got him into
the hospital, although against his pro-
test. He asked me to complete his
message for him.
Il am soldier and no writer, but I
will say that after the awful fight to-
day we are still holding our positions
japanese bodies bestrew all the
heights. Their losses must run into
the tens Of thousands. We have lost
5000 thus far. A shrapnel shell burst
two PAGES from General Stakelberg
(who remained for fifteen hours under
fire., killing two officers. The general
was slightly wounded in the Leg