The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-11
STORY OF FIGHT
AT LAO YANG
FIVE DAYS OF BATTLE
BEFORE THE JAPANESE WON THE
FORTIFIED CITY

the Hot Fighting of the Russians
and Japanese-HOw the Battle
Was Wnged Day After Day-Jap-
nnese Shells Created COnsterna-
tiOn in the City-The Residents
Fled Wildly.
Lao Yang, Sept. 4, via Tien Tsin.
Sept. 10,-The Japanese at o'clock
yesterday evening discovered that the
Russians had evacuated Lao Yang,
and at IL o'clock they sent scouting
parties to the southern and western
walls of the city. At o'clock this
morning the troops of the victorious
army quietly entered and occupied
Liao Yang. Gen. Kuropatkin's former
base and stronghold. This success was
achieved after five days of glorious
fighting.
The character of the Japanese ad-
vance apparently had served as a
warning to Gen. Kuropatkin to make
sure of his retreat, and his transport
was on Aug. 90 seen moving rapidly
out of Lao Yang over the railroad
bridge. At 10 o'clock on the morning
of the S0th, Gen. Kuropatkin's staff
moved out of Lao Yang. At the same
time rifle fire was heard drawing near
er to the railroad, and this was an in
dication of the sure advance of the
Japanese left army.
The fences around all the houses at
Lao Yang had been removed in order
to facilitate the movement of wagons
and troops. Wounded men, of whom
none was seen on the 29th, We're trail
ing along the roads from the south
and southwest into Lao Yang on the
9Oth. The Russians made use of a
field balloon all day long on the 30th,
and by means of it they got the range
of one Japanese battery which they
succeeded in putting out of action. AS
a general thing, however, they failed
to find the Japanese batteries or
troops, while the japanese continued
to silence Russian battery after Rus
sian battery.
Made Repeated Assaults.
At 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the
3otn the Japanese shelled a Russian
battery posted on a hill within three
miles of Liao Yang, but shortly after
this hour it became apparent that the
Russians began to hold their own. BY
o'clock in the afternoon the Jap
anese shrapnel fire was confined to
the position at Chiaofantun, where the
Russians were disputing every hillock
with the enemy. The Japanese made
repeated, but unsuccessful, assaults
upon this position. The Russian cas-
ualties for the 29th and S0th totalled
more than 5000 men.
The Japanese, from a low range of
hills to the southeast and south of
Shushan, began shelling the northern
end of the Russian line at Shushan at
a quarter before 10 on the 31st. This
artillery fire was preceded and accom-
panied by infantry rushes over the
valley and the lower hills south of the
road. They began before dawn and
were continued until evening, the Jap
anese officers urging their worn out
and fainting men with the points of
their swords.
There was very hard fighting at a
round-topped hill in the Russian line
opposite the point where the two Jap
anese armies under Gems. Nodzu and
Oku came together. The Russian DO
sftion here was protected with wire
entanglements, and small body of
Russian troops absolutely refused to
retire. In one trench several men
fought gallantly until they were sur
rounded by the japanese. At the end
of this sharp fighting the Russians
were hurting down sandbags upon the
enemy. They succeeded in killing one
japanese officer and injuring another,
after which they surrendered and the
hill was occupied by the enemy.
Fire Became Furious.
At 5 o'clock in the evening, the fight
ing, which had ragged all day long, CEN
tered along the south road, where for
two hours there was a heavy artillery
fire and "A vast amount of ammunition
was expended. The valley in front and
under the Russian guns during this
artillery duel was an inferno of Shrek
ing and moaning shrapnel, while be-
yond, the Russian shells burst contin-
uously at the head.
During the day the Russian rifle fire
was indescribably furious. The Rus
sian trenches for distance of several
miles threw out all day long a con-
tinuous hail OF lead. accompanied by
unce ing flashes Of fire. In spite of
It's ce,tinued ferocty this rife fire
was Intellectual, the Russians often fir
ing without sight Of the enemy. This
hail of the Russian rifle bullets did not
cease until 20 o'clock at night. II is
estimated that 10000 Russian shells
were thrown into the valley beyond the
south road. where the only evidence OF
the presence Of the Japanese was a
Red Cross camp.
AZ nightfall, Gen stakelberg's corps
had lost 5000 men.
During the night Of the 3ist the Rus
slams deemed tho position ~ the en-
omy 10 be so threatening that they
made preparations 20 fan back.
ON the morning of Sept I. an the
non-combatants were ordered 10 leave
Lao Yang and the Russian commlssarv
Of police sent an order 20 the Chinera
magistrate ~ the city that an Chinona
must leave Lao Yang within two davr
The japanese were seen 10 o. ~ Doe
session ~ the Russian positions at