Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-17
SEA FIGHT THOUGHT TO
BE IN PROGRESS TODAY

Nearer, the slope of the hill was
dotted by the grey shirts of the Rus
sian rifiemen. Brownish smoke over
hung some batteries, others showed
flashes of flame. The cracfle of rife
fire was punctuated by roar of guns.
Occasionally heard the hiss of Jap
anese bullets The scene was awe In
spring. Over the Russian center and
left flank lowered chocolate clouds
from the bursting shrapnel and 1t was
evident that the battle was coming to-
ward the Russian right. l saw re-
serves hurrying forward and Cossacks
galloping, followed by columns of in
fantry at the double. Suddenly they
disappeared in an adjacent defile, and
the valley where the Russians had
Rafting volleys We're fired behind the
screen of hills which concealed the
fighting troops from view in that di-
rection, the sound of firing being the
only evidence of the. deadly struggle
proceeding there. This continued for
half hour. Suddenly the Cossacks
appeared on the crest of the hill and
began to descend. They We're followed
by infantry. The Japanese gunners
promptly pursued them with shrapnal
and horses, and men began falling. A
moment of narrowing suspense was re-
leived by the thunderous shout Of
.Hurraw." 1t was from a couple Of
thousand Russian troops. just brought
up by train.
They quickly Jumped from the cars,
fixed bayonets and literally ran into
kerry under cover. during which the
retiring Russian regiments formed up
and moved off in complete order to-
ward the railroad. While long line of
comnissariat wagons escorted by the
Cossacks took to the. road. battery Of
horse artillery stationed near the
railroad, banged away furiously as it
covered the retreat. Japanese shells
were falling on the station buildings,
from which the train had moved.
descended the hill and just succeeded
in jumping on the footboard of the
last car Some Russian batteries on
the left flank Were still firing. The
main force then began slowly to re-
treat towards vantsialin tthirty miles
north OF yafangow) and at / o'clock
In the afternoon had accomplished it's
strategic mission. The battle of Va
fangow had detected considerable Jap
anese forces from Port Arthur.
The fighting was glorious. For two
days the Russian regiments valorous
ly maintained their positions and took
the offensive on the left, so pressing
the enemy there that a couple of jap
anese batteries fell into the Cossacks'
hands. The Russian soldiers went into
battle singing and their spirits We're
not affected by the fierce heat and fur
ious canonading, the intensity of
which may be gauged from the infiu-
ence 1t had on atmospheric conditions
Rain drops fell like tears at the height
of the battle. altho the day had dawn
ed clear. Many Russians. have fallen,
but greater number OF Japanese were
killed. Russian shells and bullets
moved them down like wheat. The
whole valley is hestrewn with their
corpses and the river Tassa ran red,
but it was with Japanese more than
with Russian blood. I left on the last
train with General Stackelberg. When
passing Kai Chou. we saw three Jap
anese cruisers. The whole road north
was occupied by Russian troops. The
Russians say that the Japanese can
not advance much further north, even
when they recover from the effects of
the battle of Vafangow."
ciAixIhN ar rpAMcDnRTS