Evening journal., 1904-11-04

ne machine and quick-hre guns
belched forth on the intrepid Japa-
nese. Twice the latter we're forced
back till the slope was covered with
bodies. but a third attempt was made,
and a score of Japanese reached the
broken wall. The terrible fire OF the
Russians, however, started their re-
lirement Suddenly a Japanese officer.
regardless Of the danger, stood up,
called out an order, planted his regi.
mental flag on the wall and was inn
mediately riddled with Russian bull
lets. The effect on the Japanese Of this
sacrifice was instantaneous. The re-
treating infantry stopped in their
tracks, hesitated and then charged
the wall, charged the Russians with
bayonets and forced many Of them up
the glacis, over the ramparts and into
the fort The fact that they had
reached the corner wall on the dead
ground enabled the JapaOese to hold
on. though the entire Russian fire was
concentrated on that point for six
hours The Japanese were reinforced
from time to time by rushes made by
their comrades up the deathway from
the trenches, and they stubbornly held
the corner wall and a small section
of the Russian trenches until 5 o'clock,
! when two companies of another regi-
ment worked through the trenches
and attacked the west Baniusan fort
the magazine of which had been blown
up by a shell short time before.
Taking advantage of a diversion OF the
Russian fire. the Japanese attacking
the first fort forced the Russians back,
captured the fort at the point OF the
bayonet and pursued them along the
connecting trenches to the Chinese
wall. The west Banjusan fort was
captured after a slight resistance. the
Japanese being unable to occupy It,
as the magazine was blown up, but
they held the trench line around the
crest The reckless courage Of the
japanese infantry was wonderfully
demonstrated in the capture OF the
two Banjusan forts They seemed to
court rather than fear death.
General Assault Repused.
Before dawn on the 22d the centre
division made a third attempt to cap
ture the higher fortified ridge of Ash
Hill, the new Banjusan forts, on the
higher ridge and the rear forts The
Banjusan forts were stormed and cap
tured, the Japanese pursuing the Rus
SLAMS who had defended them. Two
hundred Japanese officers and men
were killed. The Japanese captured a
fort, where they entrenched themselves
and remained under an awful concen-
tration OF shrapnel fire from the other
forts. With daylight the Japanese ar
tillery started a terrific bombardment.
Every gun from the extreme Japanese
left TO the centre concentrated It's FIRE
on the eastern end OF the fortified ridge,
quietlng the Russian forts guns. over
400 guns roared in rapid succession
until the entire ridge was enveloped in
cloud of smoke. For a time every
Russian fort was silenced. When the
smoke cleared away IL was seen that
the left division had advanced through
the captured forts. One regiment at
tackled the east KeelSwan fort. but was
repulsed. Another regiment advanced
up the northeast slopes of Wantai Hill
in. an effort 20 effect a junction with
the regiment which held the neck be-
tween the two peaks. The capture of
Wantai Hill meant the dividing Of the
eastern fortified ridge. A centre sup
porting regiment was unable TO scale
the heights, and was forced 10 entrench
at the foot. During the night of the
Gath the ranks of the Japanese were so
decimated by the furious shrapnel fire
Of the Russians that they We're forced
to retire 10 the valley below the cap
tured forts, and what might have been
made successful general assault with