The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-07-19
KELLER oBEYED ORDERS.
Was Sent by Kuropatkin to Test En-
emy's Strength.


sling Esspatch from General KurOpaJkin
SIC. > emperor, dated July Il, ''On our
eastern front" was given out tonight
After the occupation by Gen. kuro-
ks army Of the passes in the Fenshui
mountain chain. our Information con-
corning his dispositions was in general
Inadequate. According TO some reports
lis army had been reinforced and had
even extended his forces toward Sal
Inatza.
Other reports said that displace-
ment or his troops mad been made IN
The direction of Ia pass and Stu Yen
There were even indications that Kuro-
Xxi had transferred his headquarters
from Tskhahekan 70 Touinpu-
ION the strength Of the iHfoTmatio
received and on the basis of reconnais-
SauCeS which had been made the hypO-
thesis was formed that principal forces
of the enemy were concentrated around
Lin shan Kwan and that their ad
Vanced guards had been strengthened
in the passes OF SiaOkaO, Wanfankwan,
Sinkia, Lakho and Papau as well as at
Sybe.-f pass two and a half miles north
Of the road and half the height OF
SiaOkaO pass.
Keller's Instructions.
ION July i, in order TO determine
tie strength of the enemy it was de-
cided to advance against his position
in the direction of LainshanlzWan-
Lieutenant General Count Keller had
been Instructed not 10 start with the
object of capturing the pass. but 10 act
according 10 the strength OF the force
that be would find opposed to him.
The left column Of the expedition
airy force, consisting OF three batta-
lions, was dispatched toward Sybey
pass The entire column commanded
by Major General hasEtalinsky, con-
sisting of fourteen battalions with
inc IN
Siakoao pass, the heights surm0unted
by the temple and Wafankwan pass.
The right column. eight battaIiOns
strong, was occupying points where the
road leading to Sinbia and Lakho
passes cross in order TO cover the left
flank of General Kashtalinsky's col
umn. The general reserve was left at
Ikhavuan and a portion of the force
occupied position at thar place.
AT 10 pm. July 10, the head of the
column advanced from Ikhavuan. At
eleven o'clock a battalion OF the Sec
Ond regiment disl0dged a Japanese
outpost at the point Of the bayOnet at
the crossing of the Lakho and the
Sinkia roads.
Part of the Battle.
The details of this engagement have
not been verified but its general course
according to Geographic reports sent
III by General Keller was as follows.
During the night the japanese had
evacuated SiaOkaO pass and the heights
curm0unted by the temple. leaving only
OutpCsts there. At dawn General Kash-
talinsky's column occupied these
passes, driving back the japanese ad-
vance posts.
AT about $50 on the morning Of
July l. the japanese in considerable
strength and with numerous guns Oc-
cupied Wafankwan pass and the noun
Of General Kashtalinsky's column
From this position and from the crest
of the mountains to the east of the
heights sUFmOUnted by the temple the
enemy directed a very heavy rife and
artillery fire.
General kashtaiinsky advanced to
occupy the bluffs, sending forward at
once one and then three battaH0ns, but
the attempt failed Notwithstanding
the support given by the horse noun
tain battery. as our field suns could
not be brought into action on account
OF the nature of the ground.
Russians Needed Assistance.
About s a m. General Keller. who
was directing the fight around Ikha
YUAN, deemed il necessary to lend as
sistance to General Kashtalinsky's col
umn by bringing UP from the general
reserve three battaliOns 20 the heights
suUmOunted by the temple In order
10 maintain the positions we had al
ready occupied II was necessary, OW-
ing 10 the enemy's pressure. to rein
force Immediately the troops on the
fighting line. but these positions. ox-
ing TO their situation. were unteuable.
General Keller found the strength
OF the enemy SO great compared with
ours that he decided not 10 continue
inc fight and not to bring up either the
special or general reserves and artii-
lery. in view OF the fact that in case
OF his ultimately taking the offensive /
1t would be necessary 10 attack with /
out support of the field artillery
In consequence Of this, General KEEL /
Ter decided about 1880 TO withdraw his /
troops TO the positions originally occu-
pied IN the Yanze pass. The troops |
retired slowly, step BY step. and in /
perfect order, covered by the fire Of q 1
field battery, which had been brought I
into action.
Japs Assumed Offensive.
Toward midday an offensive move
ment by the enemy in the direction OF +
the right flank of the Yanze pass DO
sltlon developed. and al the same time
q japanese mountain battery was
Drought into apositiOn in the village of
IsoudiaDutse. two and a half miles
South OF Ikhavuan.
After thirty-four shots had been
free from the third battery OF the
Third brigade, which held the saddle
to the south Of Yanze pass. the Japau /
csc battery was finally reduced TO 81
lence.
TIE fight ceased at 3 D. m. and the
troops returned 70 Ikhavuan.
Confined en- Page -