New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-12

purpose OF noting the enernys HioEeiheils' III"
must have perceived its value to this end but
his principal object always to preserve
force sufficient to defend the permanent works
Port Arthur. This was absolutely essential
to him. The Japanese were even then In su-
perior numbers. and yet he had accepted losses
In the ratio of almost three to one. Al no period
could General Stoessel lightly regard the dis
abement OF eight hundred men. Now, 1t will
be remembered that the attempt TO recapture
hinshan nearly coincided with the southwark
march Of Stackelberg, and there is a far more
plausible explanation of this attempt-that
stoessel merely acted under orders from Kuro-
patkin.
During the next fortnight the Japanese grad
uaily approached the Russian left wing, which
lay upon the little village OF Sodaiko Chinese
0h"antaiko). The Russians now occupied a
zlszag position from Antsuling, with their right
rlank refused. resting on Losasan Chinese Laot-
suosnan). On the morning Of June 26 the dispo-
sltion Of the Japanese forces follows
Inc right wing at Anshisan (Antsuoshan), the
centre near Kinshan, including the reserve in
Iantry from Toxic. which had also arrived bat
teries of heavy siege pieces and the field guns
captured from the Russians at Nanshan; the
left wing, at Soohosan besides the division in
cIuded batteries Of heavy guns, and in reserve
the "a Reserve Infantry. Each division pos
sessed its own field and mountain artillery, cav
airy and engineers
Inc position occupied by the Russians was a
series OF armed precipices the highest of which
IS the mountain Ojikesen, sometimes called
Otalsan Gu Mountain), which commands the
mountain pass Of Antsuling and the whole coun-
try for miles around Otikesan WAS the salient
OF the whole chain Of cliffs fortified by the Rus
slams and the key of the defence-"favorable as
sallent FOR attack, but by reason OF the
ground inaccessible" Quoted from the words Of
NiaJoE famaoka, OF the headquarters staff.
the truth Of the matter was that ii was almost
impossible for the Japanese infantry to scale
the mountain under any conditions and al
though 1t was a simple task to concentrate
great volume Of artillery fire upon it. even with
this advantage the ultimate result Of an attack
always remained in doubt, for the Russians had
built upon the peak and below IT four tiers of
trenches terraced upward and to climb into
these trenches with the aid Of their handholds
remained the problem Of the Japanese infantry
1t did not seem possible to do it. To the south
east the line stretched seward over the noun
tains TO the wave beaten cliff Laotsuoshan and
from Antsuling down into the plain to the
southwest, where the Chinese village Of Shwan-
taiko rests among the farm lands
On the morning of July 26 the entire Japan
csc army, with the exception of the right wing
OF one division, which advanced down the plain
vision, which approached Laotsuoshan, con-
verged upon the Notifications in and about
Ojikesan and the pass of Antsuling. The First
Division was purposely placed IN reserve on the
right OF the japanese line. as the fat plain
there seemed TO offer the most favorable oppor-
tunlty for counter attack. July 26 was rainy
day. The artillery in action from the plain and
from the heights south Of Kinshan was tnef-
fecttve The Russians the hills south OF
Antsuling poured in deadly fire from con-
cealed position upon the right wing Of one divi-
sion, which sustained heavy losses The left
wing Of the Second Division was able to ca pture
one Of the lower heights, but the attacks dur
ing the night of the Goth were unsuccessful and
the morning OF the 9th found the Japaneee all
under cover having accomplished nothing save
an untmportant success.
The next day well suited to effective
artillery practice, being bright and clear and
the concerted fire Of every gun including the
reserves, was concentrated upon the salient Of
the Russian position, the mountain Oiikesan
Now, owing to the narrow surface Of the crest
the Russians able to post upon it only one
infantry battalion and two companies Of sharp
shooters, supported by four mountain guns and
six machine guns and between 2 and o'clock
in the afternoon these were completely silenced.
Beneath the support Of this fire the division
advanced upon Ojikesan, and soon after the
advance guard reached a point immediately be-
low the crest. This point was beyond the zone
Of the Russian rifles, but each side, with that
quick adaptability to modern warfare which
has been so often remarked in this campaign
Immediately began to employ novel methods.
The Russians from above dislodged all the rocks
and stones in sight, and rolled them down.
which obliged the Japanese to 1atten them
selves against the protecting cliff like flies.
Then private OF inventive character with
his back against the mountain stretched his
gun upward at arms length and fired in the
direction from which the powders were rolling.
and, SO it is stated, Russian soldier
ceeding in lassoing Of the enemy with a
rope, merely by dropping down moose, and
in finging him off the cliff into space but
even though this incident is officially vouched
for 1t can hardly prove more than the character
of the fighting. Meanwhile a Japanese battalion
commander, with two companies, who had d.
verged slightly to- the southwark entered the
Russian position the evening, pierced the
lines and captured the salient.
On the morning Of July % the division ad-
vanced from the direction of the captured
salient Ojikessn, and the two remaining Russian
lines west and northwest Of Antsuling. at
tackled simultaneously. The other troops also
advanced, and by o'clock in the morning the
whole Russian position was in the hands of the
Japanese; but that part OF the Russian army
which had opposed the right flank retreated only
a short distance. and attempt made to
surround and capture the whole detachment.
While this movement went forward the main
body Of the Russian army retreated in good or
der into the range Of hills Immediately east of
Port Arthur the line from Takushan. the
set through Fengfangshan; and when the time