Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-12

Striking Heroism the Soldiers or
the. Kinsnts r-Aaru.

Death rather submission was the
fate which was voluntarily chosen by the
Japanese soldiers ami others who were on
board the transport Kinshfu- Maru at Gem
San. when the Russian warships suddenly
appeared on the sceda.S The Kobe Chroni-
Gle reprints from a native paper a most in
teresting account of this Stirring incident
of the war. It appears that the men had
been ashore scoutingA andthad then re-em-
barked. The escorting torpedo boat de-
stroyer f1otiIla put to sea, and the trans
port followed. but s1on the vessels were
separated in fog. and when this lifted the
Kinshiu Maru found herself close to some
warships. Capt Yagt OF the Kinshiu-Maru.
thinking the squadron to be the Japanese,
altered her course and steered toward the
warships. when the signal STOP floating
from the mainmast and the firing of
blank shot. across the Kinshius bows
brought the vessel to a standstill. This
turn Of events naturally caused surprise
and establishment on board the transport,
but nothing could be done in the way of
escaping. Lieut.. Commander Mizoguichi.
who had charge of the work of the trans
port. proposed visiting the warships and
taking such measures as required by cir
best course. and, having said farewell to
the military officers in command Of the
troops. and accompanied by Capt. Yagi,
Paymaster Ida and an interpreter. Mr..
to the nearest warship. whence. as is
known, the party never returned, and are
now prisoners of war at 1rkutsk.
On board the Kfnshiu-Maru the military
officers assembled In the saloon and took:
counsel as to their course of action. The
officers were Captain Shiina, Captain
Sakurai. Lieutenant Terada, Lieutenant
Yokota and Ensign Higaki. After the con-
ference Captain Shiina went into the
tween decks. where the men had been or
dered to assemble. and gave orders as to
the course to be taken by them. Mean
while both the transport and the warships
had been lowering boats, and soon three
officers boarded the Kinshiu and ordered
the troops to lay down their arms and sur
render. stating that IL they did so they
would be taken on board the warships. The
rive at a decision. and, having allowed the
crew OF the steamer and the passengers to
take to the boats, the naval officers re-
turned to the squadron.
1t was now past midnight, with a bright
moon and clear sky. A great silence pre-
vailed on the transport, which now had
only troops on board and a few blue Jackets
and coolies. Captain Shiina once again in
spected his men, who were found in perfect
order, some motionleSs, but others fixing
bayonets or loading their rifles, preparing
for the end. Sergeant Major WASH was
collecting the maps, sketches, etc, kept by
the officers: Sergeant Okano gathered in
the notebooks of the men, and maps and
notebooks were thrown into the engine
room fire. A corporal ordered the men to
take off the numbers on their shoulder
straps, so that everything would be destroy
ed which would prove Of any value to the
enemy afterward.
1t was past 1 o'clock on the morning OF
April 20 when the Russians DISCHARGED a
torpedo against the fore part Of the trans
port On this Captain Shiina again went
into the tween decks and freed the men
from military discipline. They were told
10 take what course they thought fit, as
nothlng could be done, to avert disaster
The men, anxious to know the fate of their
omcers, swarmed up the c6mpanionways to
the saloon, found thes doors locked and no
souno issuing therefr6m.' Inside were the
onlcers. who had agreed to sink with the
steamer. imprisoned In the saloon 80 that
they should not fall INTO .the hands of the
enemy. Particular and sefupulous to the
iast the officers had persuaded Captain
sakurai. who did notebeIong to their regi-
ment, OF the inadvisa bfluS of his diving
with them. Captain lSaktraf. an old ex-
perienced officer, regarded by the general
stan as one of the smartest officers of the
army IN northern Korea left his comrades.
ana the manner of his death is unknown.
According to report, however. If sae,n.
there was not perfect unanifnfty In the
manner the officers should meet their death
II IL. IS stated that Lieut.. Terada dissented
oficers e sS S%a d;a Of Capt shiina that the
snip, vowing that he would sell his life to
the enemy. but die fighting. What became
VI LIEUT.. IeIada 10 not known
Inc end Of the men was equally tragic
some minutes after Capt Shiina had given
ms iast commands. which left the soldiers
70 tnelr own resources. Sergt Kurisu and
corp Horisaka committed suicide by shoot
ing eacn other, and many followed this ex-
ample. Sergt. Okano went on deck. drew
MS sword and committed hari kari an er
ample, we are told, which was also fol.
lowed by some of his men. A rather more
soidlerlike way Of spending the last mo-
ments of their lives was that OF Corn
Hashimoto and some sixty men who from
the deck fired repeatedly at the Russians
by the corporafs command The enemy
replied with fatal effect, but the end Of
all was now near. Fifty minutes after the
first torpedo was discharged a secord tor
pedo struck the Kinshu- Maru, and nearly
cut the vessel into two parts It sank in
thirteen minutes, but during this time a
hot fire was kept up by the Japanese who
went down with the ship, cheering and
singing the march song of their regiment
The final stage of this chapter of the
war Is well known-howe about sixty OF the
men succeeded in getting clear of the shin
either before or after she sank. and reach.
Ing the coast, but there were non-com-
batants whose fate is quite uncertain. blue
jackets and coolies, whom, II is Thought
possible the Russians may have picked I'M
afterward. The end of many on board the
kinshiu- Maru is one more striking example
of the heroism with which men can he in
spred when the alternative to death ia
surrender and the sense Of military dis
grace.