The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-08-10
japanese Won Victory Despite the
Numerical Superiority Of
the Russians.
RIGID TEST OF THEIR vALoR
After an All.Day Fight the Jap
Infantry Charged and Drove
Off the Superior Force of
Russian Troops.

General Kuroki's Headquarters in thc
Feld. via Seoul, Aug. 1.-Delayed il
transmission Yesterdays battle wa:
the most important which Genera
Kuroki's army has fought since cross
ing the Yalu. Many more Russians
were engaged than in any former bat
lie. They occupied an equally strong
position, had much more artillery and
were better acquainted with the coun-
ny, having for a long time occupied
the area ever which the japanese
naneuvered. The Japanese victory
won on this occasion. If not more i'm
pOrtant than that on the Yalu. was
won against great odds and was conse-
quently better test of the mettle of
their troops and more creditable to
their yalor. The result was that the
Japanese gained 10 miles or more on
their advance toward Lao Yang.
How far the Russians have retreated
= not known yet, but only one strong
strategic and defensive position inter-
venes between General Kuroki's army
and Liao Yang, that being situated
eight miles south of that city.
1t Is impossible to estimate the Rus
afan casualties during the engagement
and reports of losses on the Japanese
side were not rendered this morning.
While the Russians and Japanese on
this front are stretched over a long
line Of country. the Russians are known
to have four divisions in the field be-
tween General Kuroki and Lao Yang
and between that point and Mukden,
q large proportion of the men being
Poles from Europe. The theater of
the part of the battle witnessed by the
correspondent Of the Associated Press
was valley beginning three miles from
the Yangse pass. This valley, which
= about 10 miles long, not more than
= mile wide and running from north
% south is level, covered with high
corn, giving the troops fine cover.
In the morning the two armies were
confronting each other across the val
BeE- The japanese army was stationed
On ranges Of hills fronting the pass,
while the Russians had a higher range
west of the valley. An artillery en-
z2gement began in the morning and
lasted until p. M. during which
neither side appeared to gain any ad-
vantage SO far as spectators could
Judge The Russians now had bat
aEries in the high hills beyond the viii
Eage of Towan commanding the Lao
Yang road which the japanese shelled
neEyiIy all day from the front and left |
without silencing.
The Japanese artillery was handi-
capped In action by soft roads, which
forced them to bring up ammunition
by hand.
The Russians used "a guns from Mo
Tien pass.
The Japanese had two or more bat
feries in the hills and one or two bat
teries in the valley on the plain with
SUIT any cover except the high corn,
which the Russians never discovered,
focusing all their fire on the batteries
in the hills.
a spectacular and daring feature of
the day was the advance of the Jap
2nese infantry across the valley, which |
began at p. m, and resulted in the
occupation of all of the Russian gun
positions and their infantry entrench-
ments in the space of two hours. The
Russians, as usual, could not with
stand the charges of the Japanese in
Eantry and fed through the hills.
The appearance of the field this
morning indicates complete rout, the
Russians leaving much clothing and
camp paraphernalia behind them.
As battery stationed just to the
right of tower in the village of To-
wan from WHICH Lieutenant General
Sakharoff, commander of the First ST.
5erian army corps, witnessed the en-
gagement, dashed down a hill in re-
treat, one gun was overturned and left
at the foot Of the declivity where it
fan.