The San Francisco call., 1904-06-02
KUROPATKIN is FORTIFYING HARBIN
AGAINST CONTINGENCY OF A SIEGE
japanese Hurled Back by
Charging Cossacks at
Vagenfuchu.
Brown Men Leave Two Hun
dred Dead on the Field
of Battle.

MUKDEN, June IA hospital
train arrived last night with wounded
from the fighting at Vagenfuchn>
bringing three officers and twenty
three men, General Kuropatkin vis-
tied them, complimented them on
their bravery and awarded eight
crosses of ST. George. Four of those
wounded at Vagenfuchu were left at
Liaotung in too serious condition
to be moved. Some of these have from
four to six bullet wounds. One of the
wounded said:
Those Japanese fight we'll. Shoot
ing is their strong point, but the Cos
sacks lance charge completely sur
prised them. Many Of the japanese
were ridden down. Others ceased fir
ing and fed"
LIAOYANG, Monday, May SO.-The
japanese lost 200 killed and number
of horses in the fight at Vagenfuchu
to-day. The Russians opened fire at s
o'clock in the morning and after two
hours and a half of long range firing
the Japanese, under General Akkiama,
prepared to charge and crush the
force which had been harassing them
for twenty-one days. In the mean
time General Samsomoff was ap
preaching Vagenfuchu with a strong
force of cavalry.
1t was a sight worth seeing, when at
the word of command the Russian
sQuadrons formed and rushed like a
whirlwind across the terribly cut up
country, clearing away all obstacles,
the batteries at the same time trotting
along the frightful roads.
Having passed the railroad station.
the troops came under the fire Of the
Japanese machine guns, but withdrew
without suffering much loss. The
Fourth and Sixth companies OF the
Eighth Siberian Cossacks furiously
charged the Japanese cavalry with
lances, attacking both fianks. In few
minutes they literally cut the whole
squadron to- pieces. This was the first
time lances were used and they struck
terror into the enemy. In some cases
the lances pierced the riders
through and wounded their horses.
Some Of the lances could not be with
drawn from the bodies into which they
had entered.
The Japanese infantry, numbering
four battalions of 300 men to a com
pany, and eight squadrons of cavalry,
attempted to advance, but the Russian
batteries opened and soon the slope up
which the enemy was advancing was
covered with black spots and the en-
emy was forced to scatter and retire.
Some of the Japanese cavalry were
wonderfully dashing, charging with
shouts upon the Russians, who met and
scattered them.
A Cossacl who had lost his lance
and sword wrenched a sword from a
Japanese officer and cut off the officers
head.
The Cossacks picked up boots which
had been taken off by the Japanese in
order to facilitate the fight and flour
ished them on their lances as trophies.
The japanese used the Boer trick of
displaying dummies, but the Cossacks
did not waste shot on the. General
Samsomoff highly praised the practice
of the Russian gunners.
KAICHOU, Liaotung Peninsula,
June IA Russi--n who was wounded
in the fight near the station at Vagen-
fuchu May 30, says General Samsomoff
attacked the Japanese near the rail-
road a mile from Vagenfuchu station.
A cornet of the frontier gu; IDS was the
hero of the fight. His sergeant was
lying wounded and a japanese officer
was about to ride over him when the
cornet unhorsed the Japanese, mounted
the latter's horse and placed the SER
geant on his own charger The Jap
anese cavalry engaged was the Thir-
teenth Regiment. Its horses were
splendid animals