The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-09-14
CORRESPONDENT WITH JAPANESE
WRITES OF THE LAO YANG BATTLE
Says kuropatkn's Retreat Along the Railroad
Was MaSterIV.

Gen. Kurokis Headquarters, in the
Field, Monday. Sept. 5. via Tien Tsin,
Sept. 13.-The battle Of Lao Yang was
concluded this morning after almost
seven days of continuous struggling.
Gen. Kuropatkin was defeated, but
after holding his ground for four days
he effected mastery retirement along
the railroad, probably with his army
almost intact and taking away the
bodies of half of his men, who were
killed in action.
The part that the japanese force I'M
the conflict was remarkable. From the
25th to the Both of August, when he
effected a junction with the other Jap
anese armies around Lao Yang, he
advanced night and day over almost
roadless mountains, pushing the enc
my before him. He then made a rapid
change of base from Anping to point
on the eastern side of the railroad,
with his left wing ten miles north Of
Lao Yang. thus leaving a wide gap
of the Japanese.
The purpose of Gen. Kuroki was to
cut the railroad which was Gen. Kuro-
patkin's only possible avenue of re-
treat and attempt a surrounding move
ment. On the night of Sept. his
force reached a position two or three
miles from the railroad with the right
division ready to strike but Gen. Ku-
ropatkin was able to send a superior
force against him and hold him at bay
while the Russian army made good it's
retreat. For two days it seemed pos
sible that the Russians might assume
the offensive on a large scale and per-
haps force the Japanese right army,
as the command of Gen. Kuroki is call
ed, to abandon it's position.
One of the bloodiest affrays of the
entire war developed on the lower
ridges of the Sykwantun hills. A part
of the Japanese center division was
engaged i'm a night assault. Upon ap-
preaching the Russian trenches, they
encountered an unexpected defense.
The Russians had strung along the
ground heavy wires highly charged
with electricity, and as the Japanese
soldiers ran against the wires in the
darkness, they received severe shocks.
In addition to this, the Russian troops
defending these trenches threw hand
grenades, or shells, among the storm
ers. The effect was terrifying and
many of the Japanese were wounded.
The attempt to seize this hill. which
was an important vantage ground to
either army, was not successful. One
To M ha n " fought
way into the trenches, exhausted it's
ammunition. IT attempted to cut its
way out with the bayonet, but 1t was
almost exterminated.
The fighting which took place the
night of Sept. along the entire line
was the fiercest of the whole battle.
The Russians were determined to re-
take Heiyingtai hill, which was neces-
sary for the protection of the railroad.
All day long two or three Russian bat
teries had enveloped the trenches on
the hill with a continuous rapid fire.
shrapnel and common shells bursting
along the summit and western slope.
The trenches were deep and the sim
gle japanese regiment occupying them
stuck to it's position and withstood and
repused two or three infantry assaults.
Toward dusk the Russians attacked in
great force and for two hours there fol-
lowed steady and hard infantry fight
ing During most of this time. the
combatants We're so close to each 9TH
err that the artillery could not be used.
Throughout that night the tenure of
the hill hung in the balance.
The Russians made two assaults and
once the Japanese were driven from
the trenches down onto the nearer
slope. They refused 10 yield and re-
turned to the struggle. and finally sue
ceeded IN driving the Russians away.
The slaughter IN this fighting was
great on both sides
The morning 81 Sept. 3. the fifth day
Of the battle. was an anxious time ~
the headquarters Of Geen. kurOki The
Russian bombardment Of the hills was
proceeding and the japanese batteries
had taken up new positions in the low
lands. II was evident that the RUS
SLAMS confronting the army under
Gen. Kuroki had been heavily rein
forced The members " the general
stan were silent concerning the sifua-
ton Little Bring was heard from fhe
direction " Lao Yang Whether Gen.
Kuropafkin Maa holding his ground
there and bringing further renf0rce-
mente against Gen. Eui0h. ~ SHIFT
lnR fle main strength ~ 80 army
aRalnei the daDaHear general who
nienaeed be retreaf and was Wifhin
striking distance ~ thn FailfoHa. we're
matters ~ conjecture.
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bells mile during fhe Day eHd y b.
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