The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-10-19
FIGHTING At PORT ARTHUR
Six More Important Forts Are
Reported Taken...
IJAPS CUT OFF WATER SUPPLY

Severe and Bloody Fighting With Many
Hand-to-Hand Engagements Mark
the Progress of the sieGe-Over Three
Thousand Japanese Reported Killed
in Latest Engagements.
Chefoo. Such steady progress has
been made by General Nogi's troops in
their advance on Port Arthur since the
renewal of continuous general fighting
that they are in possession Of enough
forts near the inner defenses either to
warrant an assault in force or else, at
the discretion Of their commander. to
leave them nothing to do save to sit
down before the fortress and starve
the garrison into submission. Not only
do they hold three main and six sup
Elementary forts on the northwest,
north and northeast Of Lieutenant
General Stoessel's position, but they
have cut off Port Arthur's water sup
ply, and the garrison for days has been
compelled to have recourse to the re-
serve.
Furious bombardment along the
whole Russian position, however, in
clines military experts to the belief
the Japs will not wait for nature to
force the defenders to c%apitulate. So
desperately did. the Japanese assault
the positions gained thus far in the six
days battle that 5000 were killed or
wounded, according to the best infor-
nation, while Russian reports place
Nogi's losses at three times that total.
1t was in the capture Of Fort Kuropat-
kin, protecting the water supply, that
the Japs lost most heavily. knowledge
of the natural weakness of that posi-
ton led General Stoessel to place an
unusually strong garrison in it and to
equip its defenders with many of the
best guns at his command.
The cannonading from three sides
continued for twenty-four hours before
Fort Kuropatkin showed signs Of
weakness. While shells were flying
over the city, and the big guns on both
sides were booming through twenty
four hours, the water supply fort con-
tributed its share to the thunder and
held the Japs in check through after
noon, night and forenoon. Its fire
Stacked, though, and Nogi's infantry
rushed the works. About the same
time, the Japanese right captured q
fort from which they soon began an
effective fire OH the Russians Else
Mountain positions.
All through the night the heavy bom-
bardment of the Russian positions coli
tinued, the Japanese fire being direct
ed with particular vigor against anoth-
er supplementary fort 5000 yards to the
west Of the fort on Else Mountain, and
regarded IS highly important, because
of its bearing on the Else and Anshu
mountain forts. The next day, after
having pounded this position unmerci-
fully and until its fire had slackened
visibly. the Japanese delivered their
assault.
They were exposed to the ire of ma
chine guns and rifles and they made
frantic efforts to reach the crest of the
slope. They leaped over trenches and
entertainments and tore down entangle-
ments in their path until at length they
entered the fort. The Russian troops
refused to desert their position. even
in the face of the superior numbers
which confronted them, and desperate
hand-to-hand fighting occurred inside
the fort. Eventually almost the entire
Russian garrison was either killed or
wounded.
Toxic, %Japan.-It is believed here
that the japanese have captured six
forts in the second line of defense at
Port Arthur within the last few days.
The hope Of a speedy reduction of the
fortress is running higher.