The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-12-22
For FerOcity 1t Was the Most
Remarkable in the History
of the Siege.
WERE MANY DEEDS OF HEROlSM.
Port Artllur's War Hardened Veter.
ans Shuddered at the Sight of the
Slaughter of the japanese.
Some Times the Fighting Was Hand.
To.Aand With Rifle Muzzes at
the Breasts Of the Deter
mined Contestants.

Chefoo, Dec. 19.-For ferocity and
sustained desperation on both sides,
the struggle for the possession of High
hill probably was the most remarka.
BILE in the history of the siege of Port
Arthur-a siege noted for slaughter.
This statement is based on an inter.
view which a press correspondent had
with Commander Mizzenoff. executive
officer of the battleship Poltava
Commander Mizzenoff, who was
wounded in the leg during the battle
of High hill. said
Since the Japanese, on the 2Sth
fmonth not mentioned began their at.
tack on High hill. which they call 2O3
Metre hill, the fighting has been con.
tiruous. The steep and sandy slopes
OF the hill were streaked and dotted
with snow when the Japanese began
the battle, which was destined to fur
nish so many deeds of heroism that
they became commonplace. There
was SO much slaughter that even Port
Arthur's war hardened veterans shud-
dored at the sight.
"Japaucse we're compelled to clam
Der up the slCtos of the HILL in many
cases without firing, in the face of one
OF the most murderous deluges ever
poured from rifles and machine guns.
| was there. and It seemed to me that
flesh and blood would be unable to
stand our fire for a minute.
The enemy went down in squads
and companies, but always there were
others grimly coming forward Their
bravery was beyond praise. as was
that of our men. Some times the fight.
ing was hand-to-hand, with the muz
7les of the rifles at the breasts of the
contestants, the bayorets being used
a. swords.
"'fhe sides of the hill were strewn
with bodies and the snow was Grim
soned with the blood of the wounded,
some of whom had crawled into it,
seeking in its coldness surcease for
their dying agonies.
Eventually, as in similar instances
which were to follow, we retired, Ieav-
ing the work Of driving the enemy
from the summit to resistless guns of
the neighboring forts, notably those of
LiaOti mountain.
THE second and third assaults were
roplicas Of the first although the Sec
oud was the most ferocious, being
nearly all hand.to.hald fighting in
which mercy was neither asked nor
given.
"a remarkable incident occurred in
the third assault as the Russians, still
facing the enemy. retreated A jap.
auuse standard.bearer, holding his
flag aloft, climbed the pinnacle and
fell dead cmtching the COlors. In his
tracks another arose with the colors,
only to fall instantly with a dozen
wounds in his body. Six others fol.
lowed and met the same fate. AT last
when the ninth man appeared a Rus.
sian officer exclaimed; Don't shoot
that fellow with the flag, it will be
planted anyhow
The Japanese adopted a curious ex.
pcdient which assisted them greatly
in the third assault They had pre-
pared huge piles of wood, coal and
cornstalks which they ignted. the
wind being in the faces of the Rus
slams. The resultant fire was i'm
mense and the flames and smoke com.
PEELED the Russians to retire.
The red glare from this fire dis
closed a ghastly picture more Internal
than ever dreamed by Dante.
The assaults thus far had cost the
Japanese easily 1000 men, while our
own were under 1000, The sides of
the hill We're literally covered with
dead and wounded. The trenches were
rivulets of blood and every visible
spot was dyed crimson.
I'VE might retake the HILL said
Gen Stoesscl, but the hill is not Of
sufficient importance to us to justify
further sacrifice
Scarcely an officer participating in
the battle of High hill escaped unhurt
and the proportion of young officers
killed was very high.
Since then numerous small engage
ments have been waged. but the re.
sponsibility for keeping the Japanese
from occupying the hill in force or
fpm mounting guns thereon. has been
left Dlainly TO the shrapnel fire from
other tbrts|