New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-12
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE. SATURDAY. NOVEMBER

promptly. Before dawn on July 81 an atlach
was made along the whole line; it came as
complete surprise 10 the Russians; their pickets
did not even find time to escape with their rifles
but left them piled. and by noon the whole po-
sition was in the hands of the Japanese The
Russians were unquestionably taken by sur
prise; they made no serious attempt TO defend
this line and although they succeeded In she'll
ing the Japanese the way across the plain 10
the railroad with great success-the Japanese
here suffered heavy losses from shrapnel-they
retired almost Immediately into the line of their
permanent Notifications only retaining Taku-
Shan (and Sha-Ku-Shan, smaller hill TO the
southwesD, and certain semi-permanent forts to
the extreme west, in the direction Of Louisa
Bay
The engagement of July 30 marked the end
Of the first phase of the campaign, since 1t only
remained TO carry Taku-Shan and Sha-Ku-Shan
on the east and three hills on the west. known as
I31-Metre. 174-Metre and 203-Metre hills. re-
spectively. The capture Of these positions would
drive the Russians within their permanent lines
Of defence. and it might easily be maintained
that Taku-shan possessed most OF the character
istics of permanent work. and that 2O3-Metr
Hill possessed all of them: 203-Metre Hill was.
in fact, the outpost of the western chain OF
forts. Now. the campaign up 10 July 80 con-
sisted Of a series Of direct assaults upon forti-
He'd mountain crests. campaign in which the
aim Of one general was delay while the object
OF the other was. beyond all else, extreme haste
stoessel was handicapped by lack of men. Nogi
by the necessity of comprising the fall of Port
Arthur in time to reinforce the armies in the
north; and Stoessel was more successful in ac-
complishtng his designs than the japanese. His
tactics at the battle OF Antsuling were both
adroit and sound. and indeed praiseworthy in
he
more subtle factor in his SUGGESTIVE underly
ing tone of the untaught Russian infantry. For
beaten as they were, driven from pillar to post
crushed at Nan-Shan repealed at Kin-Shan
obliged to retreat from Antsuling, they still i'm
proved with every battle which pressed their
backs closer to the wall.
In such wise they retreated to Moscow before
Napoleon. these ignorant peasant soldiers: thus
had they defended SebastopoI, and thus would
they defend Port Arthur; for there is no more
steadfast spirit in defeat than that of Russian
infantry, and stoessel had not called upon IT in
vain. They had fought hand to hand. with
bayonets and with powders, and by the unaided
vigor of their muscle they had held each trench
until they had been expelled by sheer impact of
numbers, and they fell only to rise again with a
courage more assured. For StoesseI had invoked
the genius Of the Russian soldier; when the Jap
anese charged, with the image of their Emperor
before their minds. with his glorious name ring
ing in their ears they charged. believing that
there is no glory like that Of death on the field
of battle. knowing that the stone lanterns in
many a temple Of old Japan would mark their
fame, the peasant troops from Odessa met them
with sulen ferocity. the naked desire to kill.
The sea at their back. ever nearer. rife in
each mans hand-and all their yesterdays had
lighted fools the way TO dusty death-they
Of Hia or No clio Of vr-bit
feather shown in those battles on the PENN
suIa; the Russians fought for the dear breath
Of life. the japanese for their immortal souls.
Such was the spirit Of the fighting.