Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-08-06
THE WAY THE JAPs FIGHT.
Associated Press Correspondent An
Eyewitness Of Battle,


| Correspondent Associated Press
Molten Pass. Aug. 5.-"Night fighting
| is the test of the soldier" remarked
one of the foreign attaches when he
visited the scene of yesterdays bloody
affair. and the Japanese have certainly
proved their quality this time"
Probably no incident Of the war has
placed the the japanese soldiers in 4
| more trying situation than the night
at Molten pass, and nowhere have they
gained more complete victory against
great disadvantages None of the COR
respondents with the army heretofore
have been permitted to witness the
fighting at closer range than their
view of the crossing of the Yaiu from
safe and comfortable eminence ON the
walls of Wiju. When corresponds or
military attaches have attempted to get
TO the actual scene OF events. theti'
unfailing courteous guardians always
have rebuffed them with the explana-
/,
they are guests of the japanese govern
ment and the government is responsible
for their safety. On this occasion,
however, the correspondents of the
Associated Press was able to see the
conduct of the soldiers on the field
and their treatment of the wounded and
captured enemies in the heat of the
fighting. Whatever reasons of mill
tary policy may render secrecy desir-
able. there certainly is nothing in the
actions of its soldiers that need make
the Japanese government keep the
spectators to the rear.
Treatment of the Russian victims IF
incompetency and their officers was all
that the most enlightened nation could
expect
When the correspondent arrived at a
trench where less than a company Of
Japanese, rushing from their beds with
out time to dress, had STAYED off !,
Russian onslaught at first with bayonet
and swords, the Russian dead and
wounded lay where they had fallen on
the grassy slope. How fierce that hours,
work there had been was evidenced by
the pools of blood in the ditch and the
red trails smeared all over the grass
and stones on the hills before it. In this
fighting Lieutenant Kono alone killed
several Russians, almost severing their
heads with a single strike of his sword
When he exhibited it afterward is
edge looked like saw blade. 1t has
since been sharpened for further u.s..
Although the fight had begun only
three hours before, the japanese al
vance was half mile down the valley
pursuing the Russians. The Japanese
dead had been removed to a temple
behind the crest of the hill, and par
ty of soldiers from one Of the compau
les in reserve We're going about the
field with trenching spades burying
the dead Russians where they lay AMI
marking the graves with Il spade or
piles of stones. The Russians had gone
into action wearing heavy overco1ls
and carrying their bags of black bread.
but they had dropped both on the field
Already some of the details We're bury
ing the dead and some were caring
for the wounded that the others had
gathered. The debris from the field
and piles of coats We're stacked on the
temple steps.
The Japanese system is not only
thorough, but quick. The fight Itself
appears to have been another of those
which, like the incoherent defense If
the Yalu, wasted lives without result.
Had the Russians been informed or
the positions and strength of the Jap
anese they must have known that they
never had a chance of success. The
engagement WAS merely an outpost af-
fair but it was typical of the methods
and abilities of the two armies.