New-York tribune., 1904-09-02
FIERCE CANNONADE.
artillery Fire on Wednesday HeaO-
lest of the Campaign.


Yang Yesterday was of the most desperate char
acter 1t ragged continuously from dawn until
midnight and the slaughter must have been
immense. At s in the evening, after holding his
outer positions all day in the face OF the most
desperate charges. General KurOpatkin gave the
order to retire on the main works about the
city.
The japanese assaults during the day had
been directed principally against the Russian
centre, little east of Maie-Tung Hill, near the
railroad and three miles southwest of Lao
Yang Nothing approaching the severity Of the
infantry and artillery fire here had been hereto
fore experienced in this General Kon-
dratsyitcl's division bore the brunt and suf-
fereI the most. Bayonet charges succeeded
one another IN rapid succession, while the artil-
lery duel never ceased for a moment. No at
tempt was made in the official adVices to esti-
mate the number Of guns the japanese used.
except that they had many hundreds Each
gun carries $50 charges and these must have
been expended many times between sunrise and
sunset.
TRY TO BREAK RUSSIAN RIGHT
After midday the japanese concentrated the
strength OF all their artillery fire against Hill
No. 9S and the village OF Maie-Tung. endeavor-
ing TO break the Russian right At the same
time they viciousy attacked the west line. to
the right Of the hill. Attack followed attack
for three hours. Between and O'Clock in the
afternoon the Russians repulsed three headlonG
charges against their line.
After this the Japanese. with the strength of
all their batteries opened fire along the whole
southern front: but this attack also was driven
back with what seemed tremendous loss. though
II was impossible TO tell clearly what happened
amid the shell fire and fighting. The roar of
siege guns, mortar batteries and mixed volley
firing went on until darkness set in. To the
north q storm. accompanied by thunder and
lightning, broke. while along the front thou
sands OF shells were bursting constantly. 1t
seemed like ma gnificent display OF fireworks.
RURoPATKIN ORDERS RETREAT.
General Kuropatkin's order to fall back on the
fortifcatons was probably due 10 the receipt Of
information that the japanese had succeeded in
crossing the Tai-Tse River. northeast Of Lao
Yang. though Generals Rennenksmpff's anr
Mandaritotf's divisions had been especially
placed In position IN this direction TO checkmate
such a move. The Japanese crossed at
east OF and somewhat above Liao-Yang, and
marched in force directly westward. with the
evident object OF cutting the Russian line Of
communication with Moukden- Their exact
strength was not established. but division was
made out
As soon as the Japanese found that the Rus
slams were retiring from their outer positions in
the south they resumed the attack there. though
it was then quite dark. Thus pressed. the Rus
SLAMS arrested their movement to the rear and
again faced the Japanese.
With the view OF eventual retirement from
their outer positions the Russians had dug
large number Of pits. with stakes concealed in
their bottoms. The pits were artfully concealed
among the high Chinese corn. When the Jap
anese charged after the Russians they fell into
the pits in hundreds, and were impaled on the
stakes, and their lines were thrown into con-
fusion.
When the Russians faced about and returned
to their old positins they found these death
traps filled with dead and dying.
SOLDIERS SLEEP WHERE THEY FOUGHT
The rattle of musketry and boom OF cannon
continued until midnight. when ct last silence
brooded over the bloody battlefield and the tired
soldiers lay down where they had fought while
the wornout surgeons and nurses ministered TO
the wounded all night. ana the Chinese coolies
worked at carrying them into Liao-Yang.
General sakharof. in reporting the battle
says that the japanese suffered enormous losses
much larger than those of the Russians. who
also lost heavily. General Stakelberg. who IL
among the wounded. still retains command Of
his corps though he is no longer in chief COM
mand OF the Southern Army. which has since
been consolidated under General zaroubaieff
Stakelberg's injury is slight. and he did not
leave the field.
General Marozovsky. who was also wounded
commanded the artillery brigade. He distin-
guished himself during the suppression of the
Boxer troubles in China. His wound is severe.
There has been no interruption Of telegraphic
communication with Lao-Yang up to this hour
10 be conclusive evidence that IL the japanese
fanking movement was pressed north of Lao
Yang to-day it was unsuccessful. The receipt
OF press and private dispatches has been de-
layed the chief telegraph Office at Liao-Yang
having been moved north. which is invariably
done when fighting proceeds at such close quar-
ters. The main Office Of the field telegraph is
working at all points in the field occupied by
the Army Corps Staff.