The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-07-12
HAD RUNNING
ENGAGEMENT
Armies Had Artillery
Duel.
JAP ADVANCE CHECKED
Russians Maintained Position
Through Friday.
Desultory Artillery Fight waged Until
Csar's Men Had Prepared to
Evacuate Knichou-Rines
Did Not Figure.

pondent of the Associated Press, who
has just arrived with the Russian rear
guard after a running fight from
kaichou half way here says:
I'VE evacuated Kaichou today (Satur-
day. after a fight lasting throughout
Friday. We made short stand at
Pintzan, seven miles north of Kaichou.
The japanese kept on our heels and
there were constant exchanges between
the Russian and japanese batteries.
The Japanese advance stopped eight
miles south of here. The fighting along
the road was lively but our losses were
small
There had been preliminary skirm-
fishing and manouvering for position
around Kali Chou since July 5. On that
day two Russian companies were
caught in the hills to the eastward
and surrounded by six Japanese bat
tallions. They cut their way out.
however and returned to Kaichou
bringing many wounded.
On the morning of July 6. your scouts
reported that strong japanese force
was taking up a position In the hills to
the southeast.
ION July s. Eckhardt with small
detachment of mounted volunteers made
a bold and rapid sweep through and
around the Japanese lines and re-
turned with exact information as to the
disposition of the enemy. Eckhardt
penetrated cleear to Senuchen and
found two divisions moving In three
columns In three parallel valley to-
wards our left flank. The main Jap
anese force bivouaoed at Vafangow
Early in the morning of July the
hills to the southwark and eastward
of Kaichou were apparently deserted
but we we're aware that the Japanese
were ready to spring. We had de-
stroyed the railroad bridge south of
tho town and had strong force of rife
lpits along the bank of the river.
I TT was a brilliant morning. The
| Japanese began to advance from the
tdefites where they ware concealed. and
| L. king cover behind the thick trees and
| In the gardens south of the river. kept
| their batteries on the hill tops care
| fully masked.
'While the Japanese crept forward
| 100 yards, keeping up a fierce exchange
| with our rifiement and column started
| to work around our left through a deep
| at the railroad station told US thar the
lcolumn had struck our outposts.
Then our battery got behind the
station and the advance In that direc-
tion was checked.
| I'VE had q squadron of cavalry and
| a battalion of infantry across the river
| and through the golden haze we could
Just see them manouvering to meet the
| Japanese column. which they engaged
| fiercely. The Japanese hnaIiy roiieo
back.
I'm the meantime the Japanese cav
alrv on the extreme west tried TO creep
| around the shore of the gulf at Liao-
tung. but our batteries headed OF the
cavalrymen and drove them back In
| confusion. BY noon the advance was
silent at all points though growing
numbers of Japanese were seen gath
ering in the hills and their batteries
i threw in an occasional shot.
Both sides held their respective po-
sitions through the warm starlight
night. Japanese reserves were hurry
ing up and congregating for a morn
ing attack. but we held out as long
| as advisable in the face of the grow
ing number OF the enemy. and quietly
prepared to evacuate.
"The Japanese advance commenced
at dawn, at first quietly and cautiously.
and then with Il rush. Thir.y-Iive in
fantry companies hurting themselves
across the river. They must have retn
surprised to find themselves unopposed
and greeted only by the smoke of the
| warehouse which we had set on fire
before retiring.
Our batteries had got away long be-
fore the arrival of the Japanese and
were in position north of the town
from which they greeted the enemy
with a hail of shrapnel as he tried to
follow our retreat. The entire day
was marked by a long series of artil-
lery duels. The enemys front covered
the plan on both sides of the road and
the def1les in the eastern hills. When
| ever an advance movement appeared, 1t
was greeted by the bark of the quick
frers and the drumming of the ma
chine guns.
There was little rife fire. The Rus
sian main column was already proceed
ing north while a few Cossacks were
lowering in the rear supporting the
batteries.
lat noon the japanese artillery ar
rived and engaged the Cossack horse
battery. The Russians made no at
tempt to seriously contest ground, but
retired to a fresh position at the same
time following the enemy.
| The whole of our artillery remained
in the rear and covering the infantry
retreat at Pintzan. allowed the Japan
csc to come up and then shelled them.
Again the fight developed with some
warmth, while the Japanese brought
Iup fresh batteries with which they
pounded the village.
| General Stakelberg hung on until
late in the afternoon. We could hear
his guns growing behind US as the
Icolumn moved north.
| Quiet then ensued and the march
was continued uninterruptedly to Ia
The Kiao."