New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-31
1ASHI-CHIAO'S CAPTURE.
Russian accounts Fail to Mention
Surprise by japanese.

st Petersburg, July 30.-A di-patch from
riao-Yang giving a graphic picture of the
light at Tashi-Chiao says that the few Rus-
siaY losses IN the furious japanese lombard
mont were due u the fact that the Russian
Guns were mostly behind range of steep hills
md were concealed clererly by high grass and
.-ees Tie Chinese were. therefore unable 10
beIiorraph the position Of the guns. as they
so-r7erly had done. II Ire japanese artillery
men.
The japanese had many guns Of large calibre
and used chiefly shrapneI. They used also high
..,rlosi-e shells. The fight was almost wholly
~ artillery duel and was a magnificent spec
AIDE The cres.s OF the hills held by the Rus
s;srs were converted into a raging volcano, and
Earth was thrown up in geysers by the con-
-irpous rain of bursting shells until sand and
7,sr hung IL cloud overhead, and fire among
,be trees and grasses. started by the shells.
.s5ed A sitting smoke and heat TO the glare
- the tropical sun. The shrapnel. like great,
White winged birds sailed overhead. The drone
n their coming could be heard plainly, and
.ha Russians threw themselves behind rocks
and other shelters the missiles burst.
The Japanese shifted the position Of their
INNS both 10 escape the Russian FIRE and 10
NV 10 locate the masked batteries Of their op-
ronents Late In the afternoon they got in a
,,oei,ion that enabled them TO sweep the plain
behind the hills occupied by the Russians and
,sr,e dangerously near locating the Russian
batteries
Every one except the commanders was sur
--,ssd and disguised at the order TO retreat
The Russians burned everything valuable at
Tashi-Chiao before leaving the town.
uoukden. July 30-A correspondent Of The
Associated Press who witnessed the battle of
Tashi-chiao. July % to July -. and who rode
over hundred miles on horseback. all the way
n Moukden 10 bring the account. gives the fol-
lowing description Of the engagement:
The correspondent was awakened at = o'clock
N the morning Of July 23 by the booming or
guns. He had slept in the village Of T1en-Tsla-
Tin. four miles south Of Tashi-Chiao where the
regiment 10 which he was attached was eIs-
Toned. He hurrie6ly rode 70 the Russian OUT
posts and found them engaged IN a not artlAery
mel which continued for TWO hours. Then the
batteries slowly retrested on the main poslCon,
where General Zaroubaien decided to accept
battle. -,
The Russian gunners thence poured a Wen
directed hail OF projectiles, enectuallV stopping
the japanese advance ana enapllng me Ea[. lou.
outpost detachments TO fall back in safety Inc
artillery FIRE ceased about II o'clock, and then
for three hours the japanese were engaged IN
placing their batteries in position and IN dispos-
ing their forces in order OF battle.
Al in the afternoon the commandment again
opened and lasted until after o'clock The
japanese had several guns Of large calibre, and
all their batteries were sending out streams OF
ehrapnel on the Russian positions, but not cars-
ing much harm. The losses at first were insig-
The night was perfectly quiet. The CORE
spondent slept in the village Of Sin-Min-Tin, d.
rectly behind the Russian positions. The real
battle opened the next morning. The first gun
was fired at o'clock. and thenceforth the roar
of arullerv did not cease for an instant till $50
The site Of the battle wac about three miles
south Of Tashi-Chiao and two miles east OF the
railroad. The sea was plainly discerrible from
the heights overlooking the battlefield. No fight
ing took place IN that direction. The Russian
positions fronIed south, with a slight inclination
eastward About two artillery corps were en-
gagged.
The correspondent was able TO follow only the
experiences Of General Zaroubaier's corps, and
so confines himself TO recording the incidents Of
ihis body. Zarou baie-r's corps occupied q posi-
ton on TWO hills OF which the larger was
crowned by three SUBMITS. The commando and
- his staff stationed themselves the highest
point, the central one, whence they had an IN
The general had placed batteries on the plain
behind these hills the guns being Cleveriy
masked by high Chinese corn. The japanese
tIleo Valnly the whole Gay 10 locate them, and
the Russian losses, therefore, were slight. The
men suffered more from the scOrching heat Of
the sun than from the japanese projecties.
II was essentially an artillery battle. but IL
was remarkable and even uncanny that during
The thirteen hours il lasted the Russians could
not make out a single japanese soldier even with
the most powerful glasses. From the position
occupied by General ZaroUbaien's troops not q
both sides worked like uadnen. The air was
rent by the deafening reports Of the guns White
formed clouds overhead, into which were thrown
fountains Of Gust and sand.
The japanese fire was al first concentrated
upon The eastward hill. held by 4 small force
OF Russians. and by IL O'Clock this part OF the
position was literally aiame. The men threw
themselves face down on the ground as soon
as they heard the hiss Of the approaching
shells, which. striking. dug deep craters in
the hillside, whence the spouting fire looked
Ike miniature volcanoes When this spectacle
OF savage splendor had lasted four five hours
one after another OF the Russian positions be-
came unrenable.
II the mean time the Russian gunners behind
the hills re0Oubled their energies and the Jan
anese were evidently nonplussed by the herce-
ness OF the fire from the hidden batteries. They
ever directed their attention 10 the Russian
right shoWerlng proJectiles a small hill
watch was unoccUpied. Then the japanese
shifted their fire 70 the Russian centre. but not
a single man was thGraWn.
The fire Of the japanese diminished at about
Q o'clock, and ceased altogether half an hour
later, but the Russian batteries remained in
aet!on.
When the japanese gUnners reopened the ar
l-ery duel later they had changed their posi-
s<n 20 the westward, whence they obtained IN
r-flihIefrupted range Of the plain behind the
Russian position. and their projectiles began
Islhng dangerously near the Russian batteries.
Two Chinese villages in the vicinity suffered
terribly The whole plain was ploughed and
pited by the explosion Of the shells
WITH the approach Of evening the Russians
had little relief from the heat, but none from
ne japanese, the only difference being that
The flashes Of the japanese guns were dis
&c -tsilaDie on the slopes OF the Nils racing
me Russians. revealing their exact position by
ne red spark. from each lannon's mouth
AGAINST the sombre shadow
. ne wild beauty OF the scene had now reached
Us zer IN. the bcuba rdInent slowly diminished
N Intensity and half hour later profound
silence reigned. broken only now and then by
We rattle q infantry volleys from the distant
portions Of the field where the battle was still
dragging on
IN reaching Sin-Min-Tin the same evening
ne correspondent found that the place had al
.Fsaay been abandored by the Russian troops