The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-06-01
A SEVERE BATTLE
In Which Appalling Losses Were
Sustained by Both Armies.
THE JAPs CLAIM THE VICTORY.
The Gunboats Of Both Com oatants
Took Part in Cooperation
With the Armies On
Land.


the ia 3anese army swept the Russians
from Kin Chou ThurSday morning
and in desperate attack storloed the
imprecnable position OF tie russians
on Nanshan hill, west Of Taiiea Wan.
The battle ragged in the bills all
through the night and frag gmentary
telegrams from the Japalese head
quarters reported that The engage
ment is still in progress and that the
japanese are st II pursuing the Rus
slams south from Nanshan and the
head of Talien Wan bay. TIE Rus
SLAMS had made elaborate preparations
to check the japanese movement
south on the Liao Tung peninsula to-
ward Port Arthur.
They had fortified high ground on
the south shore Of Talien Wan bay,
their works extending to the east and
the west. The extreme Russian right
was at Hushantao and the extreme
left at Nanshan hill. This hill was
the strongest part Of the line; series
of batteries, strongly emplaced, crown.
ed it's crest, while rifle pits extended
arounnd its sides. Mines had been
placed lower down on this hill, and
around the base on the northern and
eastern sides were stretched well made
wire entanglements. Another line OF
defenses, also protected with wire en-
tanoIements. extended from Yen CHA
Tung near the head Of Talien Wan
bay, due north of Liuchia Tien, which
lies south Of Kin Chou.
A strong Russian force was posted
at Kin Chou. 1t consisted OF infan.
try and artillery.
THE HILLS OCCUPIED.
The Japanese first coupled the line
CT hills to the east Of Kin Chou. Their
position had formed an almost perfect
right angle, showing it's southern front
to Talien Wan and it's western front
to Kin Chou. Chiu Ii Chan village
was the apex of this angel; the ex-
treme right Of the japanese line rest
ed at Chen Cha Tien, which is almost
due north Of Chu Ii Chan, while the
extreme left was at ChaitSuoh, a vii
lage due east Of Chiu Ii Chan. Back
of this angle the attacking force as,
sembled in complete security.
The Russians apparently ATTEMPTED
TO draw the japanese attack last Sat
urday, for their batteries opened hre
slowly on the enemy on that day. The
japanese, however refused to De
drawn into an attack until the posi-
tion Of the Russians, the guns and
their strength had been fully develop
ed. To this end the japanese began
series of careful manoeures, their Of
fcerS working their way close enough
to the Russia position to draw the
enemy's fire. They thus secured frag-
ments Of shells for the purpose OF as
certainiug the calibre OF the Russian
guns: They discovered that the bat
teries on Nanshan hill included Tour
Howitzars of about Is centimet:es cal
ibre: 10 old STYLE cannon Of between
nine and Is cantimetreS calibre and
Two quick-fring guns of u centime-
tres.
The japanese discovered also a num-
Der Of large emplacements buj they
did not learn the number Of guns con-
tained therein. The emplaceme1,ts fac
ed to tile north and to the east
The guns fred by the Russians de-
veloped a range Of $500 metres. Eight
heavy guns posted on the Russian
right in the vicinity Of Hushangtao
also we're discovered and another
strong Russian position developed by
these rsconnoissances was on another
hill southwest of Nanshan hill where
the Russians had a series OF shelter
trenches. On the shore Of Talien Wan
bay, close to the head Of the b;ly, the
the Russians had established a series
Of positions. Here were set up the
search lights which nightly played
over the Japanese angle ID the hills to
the northeast.