The Minneapolis journal., 1904-05-02
RUSSIAN DEFEAT
RESEMBLES ROUT
Victorious Japanese Garry Forti-
fed Positions at Point Of
Bayonet.
Cars Army Burns and Abandons
Antung After Five Days
Fight.
Mikado's Soldiers Take Kiulien
cheng After Desperate Bat
tie With Foes.
Special to The Journal.

special to The Journal.
London, May 2.-The first great land
battle of the Russo-Japanese war has
been fought and the Russians are in
full flight upon -eheng.
General, Kuroki has shattered the
czar's military strength on the Yalu
at the first blow and has seized one OF
the strategical keys to the whole situa-
ton.
Russia's boast that she would utter
~ annihilate the forces of the mikado
has proved to be mere Wanting. AS
on sea, she has rniscalculated her
prospects on land. Following long ar
t1llery drill on, the Yalu, 10000 Rus
slams stubbornly. contested every foot
OF ground from the Y iho, a tributary
that empties into the Yalu at a point
about eight miles north of Wi-ju. to-
the heights at An-tung and, at the,
point of the bayonet, the Japanese
pushed them back, driving them from
earthWork to entrenchment until they,
halted at An-tung.
Then the Russians burned An-tung
and retreated,. so it seems from latest
advices, to Kiulien-cheng. General
Kuroki followed close on the heels of i
the defeated Russians, silenced the
ire OF the czars guns after a severe
eannonade and occupied the town.
Russians Put to Flight.
The Russians fled in the direction
OF Hsu-yen. Then they changed their
tactics and it is believed are now mov-
Ing toward Feng- huang- -cheng.
Behind them they have left a thou
sand dead. a score or more of guns
and large stores Of provisions and am
munitions. The wounded have been,
for the most part, taken along. It il
q fsn1 F0rs ffoD oio,,s
The debris are strewn over the bar
rem country for miles. Gun carriages,
ammunition wagons, hundreds Of carts
from the commissariat, haversacks,
rifles, bayonets and cartridge belts
mark the line Of flight taken by what
become a. disorderly rabble. Dead
and dying horses are osbe seen by the
hundred. SIS
For weeks, the japanese have been
preparing to cross the Yalu. Every.
detail Of the program for the advance,
! into Manchuria was carefully ar
ranged. Last week, small bodies OF
scouts swan the river to discover the.
! plans Of the Russians, as carried out
in their scheme Of defense.
Concentration Ordered.
Monday. The concentration began.
| Tuesday, Kuroki ordered a general ad-
| VdiiCe.S ~, Ike lIlpGTit1
guards division seized the island OF
Kurito, above Wi-ju, and a detach-
!. ment from the second division Of the
army occupied the island of Kinteito,
which is just below Wi-ju.
Nine Japanese were seriously and
sixteen slightly wounded in this en-
gagement.
The Russians opened fire on Wi-ju
from hill behind Kiulien-cheng and
i from Ko-san, on the bank of the Yalu,
a short distance north of Antung, with
two Hotchkiss guns. One Japanese
battery replied with three volleys.
Tuesday and Wednesday,, the Rus
intervals. The Japanese did not re-
A detachment Of japanese crossed
the river Wednesday and made a re-
connoissance Of the left bank of the
Yiho. When they returned and re-
to move to a point eight miles north
Of Wi-ju and nearly opposite the
1 mouth Of the Yiho river. His ar
I rangements were interfered with by
the commandment which the Russians
. continued Thursday and Friday. to
:. which the Japanese did not reply.
The twelfth division was chosen to
cross the river first. Friday 1T ad-
vanced to point eight miles north OF
Wi-ju and drove the Russians from
Suikochin, at which point the Japan
ese proposed to cross the river.
Bridge is Constructed.
A pontoon bridge was thrown across
the river and at o'clock Saturday
! morning the invasion of Manchuris
: began. BY 6 o'clock the same even:
: ing the whole division was encampeo
+ on the north side of the Yalu.
: Meanwhile, the Russian batteries al
Kiulien-cheng and at Makao, village
Il near Antung, had continued to hurl
). shells into Wi-ju. The Japanese
!. after replying for a short time 81
> fenced the Russian guns. Again they
! re-opened their fire and again We're
> they silenced.
A flotilla of Japanese gunboats took
q, hand in the fighting. A force o.
ICossacks was encountered below An
tung. The gunboats, after brief sbu
sharp engagement, forced the Cos
sacks to take to the hills.
J The twelfth division in the mean
= time, has completed a bridge across
the Yalu at Suikochin. Saturda.
. night, the second division and the i'm
..Iperial guards crossed. II Regimen
2 after regiment followed and at lat
! fhour Kuroka. sent word to the gen
: eral staff that he would attack q
Sunday morning, just before the SUI
!, rose, the japanese artillery took up
= position commanding the Russian I'm
q from Kiulien-cheng to the river. At
lo'cIock. The Russia nbatteries weis
J, silenced and Kuroki ordered his lin
: : to advance over four mile front.
Charge Across Stream.
f The Japanese infantry plunged int
y the Yiho, charged across the stream
3 waist deep, and stormed the height
: on the southern bank at 15 minute
past s.. BY 8 o'clock they had swep
the Russians back to their second lin
of defense.
They captured the second line Q
ldefense at the point of the bayone
$ 1.-THE Russians made another stant
| but the swiftly moving line of Httl
! brown men behind cleaning strea
Of steel, sent them flying in the diret
ton Of An-tung,
When the Japanese reached sssAT
lg tung, they found the town in flame
" land the Russians falling back upo
lie Kiulien-c cheng. They followed an
a then the hottest artillery duel of tt
Of Ave days struggle took place. IT
Russians were unable to stand unds
a the hail Of screaming shells throw
into the town by the Japanese gun
(Continued on Second Page.9
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