The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-12


 Press.)
 Headquarters Second Division.
 First Imperial Japanese Army
 Near Mo-Tien Pass, July 22.-r904.
 When the whole history of this war ls written, the affair at Mo-Tien Ling on the seventeenth of July may have the proportions merely of an outpost enlargement. But 1t brings into strong light the methods and the efficiency or the two armies at the present stage or hostilities and it explains the contin- uous and unvarying success on lana or the Yankees of the East against one Of the great military powers of Europe Why the Russians should have aban- doned the best defensive position be- tween the Yalu and Liao Yang with out a fight and soon afterward make two costly and unsuccessful efforts to regain 1t. remains yet a mystery.
 The days before this attack the Japanese knew through their remark able intelligence service that It was planned They foresaw largely how 1t would be executed, through probably they did not anticipate how stubborn ly the Russians. fired with ambition to maintain the prestige of European troops and inspired by the name of Skobeleff. linked with the memories of Schipka Pass. would storm the strong hold. It was Skobeleff's fighting and Skobeleffs men against the men and the methods of quarter century la- ter.
 Awakened by the Guns.
 On the morning of the seventeenth, several of the correspondents who were camped at the Division Generals head quarters some miles from the pass were awakened at daylight. by the sound of distant volleys. A thick white fog covered the hills, like London fog in December, so dense that tents could not be seen a hundred yards away. The ground was muddy and trees drip ped as though there had been a heavy rain. The correspondents were soon in their saddles. but word came from the press censor that they were not to go until given permission.
 Within an hour most of the military attaches and newspaper men had gath cred in front of headquarters fretting to be unleashed. Delegates from each camp were laboring with the staff of- ficers. Word came from within that the general was acquiescent but part of the staff unwilling. We were to walt little," phrase become fa- miliar. during two months of waiting In Tokio. Later the General might go and perhaps the correspondent could accompany him.
 The waiting was 2rotracted until nine o'clock and meantime could be seen the machinery of battle behind the stage. Several infantry battalions came up the road at a dog trot, the mems khaki tunics plastered to their backs with sweat, while they mopped their faces with towels presented by the patriotic societies of Japan bearing blue prints of the Mikado's soldiers storming impossible blue precipices in the face of gigantic blue bearded Rus sians.
 No Shirkers There.
 Most of the men looked as eager for their work as foot ball team racing onto the field There were no shirkers. although some followed the rear of their companies panting painfully un- der the fifty pounds weight of equip ment which they all carry. A hospital company marched past with the stret- chers roped to the backs of horses and some of the Red Cross men shouIdered wooden crutches to help soldiers with leg wounds from the field Trains of the small black Japanese stallions passed bearing ammunition boxes and trenching spades, which are also uti- lized for burying the dead Ammuni- ton caissons with lathering six horse teams rumbled over the road, and two or three field batteries in reserve ap- peared and unharnessed on the square where the marks of Russian tents re-