The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-12-09
RfPULS[D
With BIG LOSS
PERSISTENT RUMOR THAT TURN
ING MOVEMENT is A
FAILURE.
ARE CAUGHT in AMBUSCADE
JAPS ENTER PASS AND MEET
NUMEROUS FIRE FOR WAIT
ING RUSSIANS.

Mukden, Dec. Z. - There is a per.
sistent rumor that the force of Japan.
csc sent to turn Gen. Rennenkampff's
flank has been %repulsed with great
loss. The story is not yet officially
confirmed, but details are given with
great circumstantiality. 1t is stated
that Gen. Rennenkampff, who knew
the movement was maturing, awaited
the Japanese at the mouth of one OF
the passes and that the Japanese turn.
ing force threw themselves u%nsuspect-
ingly into the ambuscade, where, after
the fight, the Russians collected SOC
Japanese corpses. 1t is added that
there are 1000 more Japanese corpses
which it had been impossible to col
lect owing to the fire of the Japanese.
This does not include the Japanese
loss in wounded. The Russian loss,
according to this account was only
thirty or forty men.
Heavy Firing at Port Arthur.
London, Dec. z. - A dispatch from
Chefu on Dec. 5 to the Daily Tele-
graph says:
Heavy firing continues at Port Ar
thus to-day. The Japanese are MAX.
ing most determined and persistent
efforts to capture the northern forts"
Japs Caught in Trap.
Mukden, Dec. THE night of Dec.
2 the Japanese begun a heavy artil-
lery fire in Poutiloff CLone Tree) hill,
paving the way for an infantry attack.
The Russian artillery answered Wig
orously for several hours, and then
slackened. The Japanese, imagining
the Russian fire had been s%ilenced,
flung themselves in masses against
the trenches, where they were al
lowed to come within close range and
then were met with whitening volleys
and q counter charge with the bayo-
net. The Japanese fled, having sus-
tanned enormous losses.
A four-day artillery duel on the
Russian right and center has failed to
alter the situation. There is much
caused by the close confinement to
the trenches and the bomb proofs and
the continuous nervous strain.
Toxic Tells of Fights.
Toxic, Dec. 7. - The following an
nouncement was made at imperial
headquarters last evening:
cat about 2 o'clock in the morning
on Saturday our infantry occupied
Kuckiatzu, driving the enemy north
ward. The village had eel firmly
held by the enemy's infantry with ma
chine guns. Our casualties were
twelve men wounded and not one
killed. The enemy lost over thirty
men.
During the evening Of Dec. 3 the
enemy's artillery shelled Watao noun
tain. Two or three companies of his
infantry advancing toward the noun
tain were repulsed."
Japs Plan for Final Struggle.
Toxic, Dec. 6. - Advices from Port
Arthur indicate that the Japanese are
planning a final blow upon the fort
ress.
The advantage of the capture of 203-
Meter hill is widely discussed here
and is considered a turning point in
the closing operations.
Gen. Nogi has begun mounting
heavy guns on the hill, and positions
for twenty of them have been con-
structed. 1t Is expected that the Jap
aness intend
To Sweep the Harbor
and the surrounding Notifications at
once and end in one terrific blow the
long siege of the fortress.
The first armistice between the
cOmbattants at Port Arthur was de-
clared on Dec. 2 for the purpose OF
burying the dead. It lasted for a
period of six hours.
The Port Arthur b~esiegers report
that Friday bearers of flags of truce in
the direction of the left wing arranged
for a partial armistice to extend from
10 o'clock in the morning to 4 in the
afternoon for the removal Of the dead
and wounded.
Naval Sortie Expected.
1t is the general opinion here that
the Port Arthur fleet will attempt to
make a sortie when the harbor be-
comes untenable or when the Russian
plans for escape mature.
It is evident that most Of the ships
are badly damaged and unfit for ser
vice. but some have fighting powers
The Russians continue mine-clear