The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-11-08


four powerful search lights from the
eastern Golden Hill fort and Chair Hill
fort. the roar OF the big guns and the
other weird and wonderful sight.
Before dawn on the END the center
division made a third attempt TO cap
ture the higher fortified ridge or Ash
Hill. the new Baniusan forts. on the
higher ridge. and the rear forts.
The Eanjusan forts were stormed
and captured, the Japanese pursuing
the Russians who had defended them.
Two hundred Japanese officers and
men were killed. with daylight the
Japanese artillery started a terrific
bombardment. Every gun from the
extreme Japanese left 10 the center
concentrated its fire on the eastern end
OF the fortified ridge. AS the lombard
ment went on, Il increased in volume
as the guns from the center and west
joined in il, and swept the ridge at the
apex Of Port Arthur. The storm OF
bursting shells lasted for half an hour.
during which time the awful. concen-
trated fire swept the ridge from end
to end. Over Jour hundred guns Ioared
in rapid succession until the entire
ridge was e~nveloped in a CLOUD OF
smoke. For a time every Russian fort
was silenced. When the smoke clear
ed away it was seen that the left d.
vision had advanced through the cap
tured forts. During the night of the
"a, the ranks Of the japanese were so
decimated by the furious Shrapnel fire
Of the Russians that they were forced
TO retire to the valley below the cap
tured forts and what might have been
a successful. general assault with the
capture Of the fortified ridge east of
Port Arthur was converted by the Rus
sian tactics into a repulse, redeemed
in part by the wonderful fighting quail
tiles Of the japanese infantry and their
refusal to accept what seemed to be the
inevitable. The Japanese casualties
from the 10Th to the oath were II, 0o0.
The center division alone lost six thou
sand and q single regiment lost TWEEN
ty-ive hundred. Only six officers and
two hundred men of this regiment
were left after the fight.
The retention of the Banjusan forts
gave the Japanese a foothold on the
fortified ridge as a result of six days
oOO $1,000 AONf
marked this hazardous attempt 10 take
a strong modern fortress by assault
after a few days investment. General
NOgi was aware that his army was
needed in the north and the troops,
flushed With previous victories, were
anxious to make the attempt. Success
meant the immediate fall of Port Ar
thur, which great achievement would
release the besieging rmy which for
months had been Sapping the strength
of the positions. The ability of Cen
era Stoessel and the determined spirit
of the Russians had been under est
mated, and the experiment was never
repeated. AS with the Russians at
Pleyna, with spirits dashed by repulse
and heavy losses, the japanese army
settled down to sapping and making
parallels. For two weeks the Russians
were ~unceasing in their efforts to re-
capture the Banjusan forts, but with
out success.
While the seige operations were in
progress reinforcements were brought
up and it was announced from head
quarters that the siege operations
would be finished with a general as
sault on September 18th upon the Ma
maokayama ridge, the 203 metre hill,
the half moon forts OF the Shuishi val
ley, and the redoubts at the foot OF
Rihlung mountain. The bo~mbardment
was started at dawn. Three battal-
ions of the centre division advanced
from the parallels and attacked a re-
doubt at the foot of Rihlung noun
tain, which the japanese twice before
had tried to capture. The work was
strongly built n surrounded by a
ditch, perpendicular walls and breast
works. There was also a steep distance
to the top of the parapets and at the
bottom was a ditch % feet deep. The
interior of the Tedoubt was faced with
heavy timbers, the trenches around
were bomb proof, and there were
heavily constructed block houses loop
holed for infantry and machine guns.
From the ear of the redoubt three
lines of trenches extended to Rihlung
fort. The main attack was made
against the northeast corner and stimuli
taneouSly a Japanese battalion attack
ed the east line of trenches. The Jap
anese We're met by a tremendous fusil-
lade from rifles and machine guns and
were forced to retire to their trenches,
but at four in the morning the main
attack was made n the Japanese
succeeded in capturing the redoubt,
entering it through a breach made by
the artillery. A fierce hand-to-hand en-
counter inside the redoubt followed,
during which dynamite and hand gren-
ades were used to destroy the block
houses, whose brave defenders stood
their ground until the last man was
bayoneted. The Russian trenches were
captured and occupied by the Japa-
nese, but the redoubt was destroyed
with explosives. The defending force
consisting OF four companies. The Jap
anese casualties were over 1000. The
Russians left only a few dead in their
positions.
In the evening of the 10Th a regiment
of the right division attacked the half
moon forts in the Shuishi valley from
parallels fifty yards distant.
A battalion and a half advanced
n ro:rcr rhA L.IE z1aAn