The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-04
SLAUGHTER IS TERRIFIC IN
 ATTACKS UPON PORT ARTHUR
Brave Beges and Gallant Defenders Do PoS of VaOr and Meet Death JOyfuy For Their Gods and Their EmperORusSa Gives
 up All Hope and Expects News of Surrender at Any Time

l, night and o'clock in the morning. Four hours after the ominous dark ness silence was broken by an occa- sional shell from the Japanese batter ies while they made a feint to sortie | mmediateJy after a furious fusilade in | the rear of the captured forts. Here, the Russians anticipating an assault. made a strong counter attack. Attempt to Cut off Retreat. The Japanese advance lines were driven from the forts and were furi- ously attacked by large bodies of Rus sians, who also worked down on either side of the captured Banjusan forts to the valley in an attempt to cut on the retreat of the Japanese from two forts The Russian move clearly planned and their artillery commanders were well informed for they opened fire with shrapnel on the advance of the Japa- nese supports across the valley, using starlights and searchlights with good effect in the counter-attack on the Japanese.
 The general assault then began and for twenty minutes the whole Japanese line was engaged. The left division from the trenches in front of the Keek- wan forts charged the fortified hills. Part of the advance had gained the crests and shouted "Banzaf when their triumph was cut short.
 Suddenly the two powerful search lights of the east forts lighted up the Japanese lines and Russian rifles and machine guns poured a deadly hail into the clearly visible ranks of the attack ing troops. Despite the awful process of unequal annihiliation, the Japanese stubbornly held the positions gained and their machine guns quickly located and nIiafQA the nnfNk Finally the Japanese were slowly forc- ed down the slopes to the trenches be- low.
 On the west flank the searchlights of Etz and Taiyangkow forts played along the Japanese trenches, preventing the movement of troops.
 The Japanese artillery men concen- trated their fire on the searohlights. shells continually blanketing the lights.
 Mown Down by Machine Guns. Suddenly the light of Etz disappear ed and the light of Taiyangkow follow ed. The Japanese infantry on the right flank advanced on the trenches close to the Russian lights. when the Etx light was flashed out in the face of the ad- vancing troops and Russian machine guns, previously we'll placed. swept their fire along the lines while rifles blased with continual rattle. The pioneers suffered heavy casveis, !, ties fu cutting entangIeJnents. After the failure of the regulating devices for removing wires the pioneers were sent to attach ropes to posts to which , entanglements were attached, and troops in the trenches pulled upon the ropes dragging posts and wires away.
 This worked satisfactorily until the Russians began the use of bracing wires. Then pioneers advanced and fell as though killed, close to the en- | tanglements and remained motionless until unobserved, they could work along on their backs under the wires. from which they cut with long spears. No Wounded Left.
 As result of this expedient the Russians made certain that all were dead who fell near the entanglements. The latest expedient was a steel shield covering the face and body suspended from the shoulders of the pioneers. from behind which the cutters were used. Dynamite bombs were used by the Russians against the Japanese trenches and advance works. For as- saulting forts, where it was impossible to throw bombs, wooden mortars were made, bound with bamboo. These were carried by the soldiers and with them bombs were thrown fifty to one hun dred yards. These were the most ef- fective of the many devices tried by the Japanese.
 While the siege operations were in progress endorsements mostly from the second reserves were added to the existing units to bring the army up to its full strength and 1t was announced from headquarters that siege opera tions would be finished with a general assault on September 19 upon the Ma maokayama Ridge. the 203 Metre Hill. the Half Moon forts of Shuishi Valley. and the redoubt at the foot of RihlunR z mountain.
 The bombardment was started at dawn. The Russians failed to reply till the afternoon, which delayed the attacks until in the evening. Three battallions of the centre division ad- vanced from the parallels and attacked strong redoubt at the foot of Rih- lung Moutnain.
 Main Attack Made.
 At in the morning, after a night of fighting, the main attack was made, and the Japanese succeeded in captur- ing the redoubt. entering it through a breach made by the artillery. A fierce hand to hand encounter inside the redoubt followed. during which dyna- mite and hand grenades were used to destroy the blockhouses whose brave ueIeHueTS stOOu tnelr ground until the last man was bayoneted.
 On the evening of the 18th a reRi- ment of Right Division attacked and took the half moon forts in the shuishi Valley from parallels fifty yards dist ant.
 The attack upon 203 Metre Hill and the ridge immediately north of it call ed Namaokayama was started at 6 in the evening of the 18th by two regi- ments of the right division and one regiment of the second reserves. The first regiment advanced against Nam aokayama from trenches close to the Russian lines.
 In spite of the furious bombardment with which the Japanese supported the assault. the Japanese infantry could not advance any further and were com pelled to spend the night on the dead ground close 10 the first Russian trench line.
 Sappers Cleared the Way.
 Tn the meantime a second Japanese regiment advanced against the west slopes of 203 Meter Hill and third regi- ment moved against the southwest slopes. The second regiment was un- able to make much progress. but the third reached the foot of the southwest slopes During the night a party of sappers cleared away the Russian en- tanglements Yhe Japanese lombard ment began at dawn on the 20th and all the morning the slopes of the forti- fled hill and the ridge were transform ed into an inferno By the bursting Of shells. At Il o'clockNa small party of the pnd regiment charjged forward to