Arizona republican., 1904-05-29
BlOOdieSt Scene in MOd-
 ern Warfare
FORTUNES OF THE DAY
Hinged on tha Early Discovery and
 Cutting of Wires Leading to Hines
 for Destruction of Attacking Army. Ceaseless Assault of Sixteen Hours.

Tokio, May 2S.-The Japanese assault on Nanshan hill was one of the fiercest and bloodiest affairs in modern war fare. In the earlier rushes of the en- Gagement every man participating was shot down before ne reached the first line of the Russian trenches. It was found necessary to stop these infantry charges and renew the artillery fire from the rear before the final and sue cesful assault on the Russian position could be made. The success of this assault was brought about by a de- tachment of Japanee troops, more in- trepid than their comrades, who suc- Ceeded in piercing the Russian line.
 A splendid stroke of fortune was the discovery and destruction by the Jap anese of the electric wires leading to the mines at the eastern foot of Nan shan hill. This prevented the Russians from exploding these mines, when the Japanese infantry crossed the ground where they had been placed. It is possible the fortune of the day hinged upon these mines. If the Russians had been able to explode them at the right time the losses among the Japanese troops would have been tremendous and it is possible also the Russians would have been able to hold the hill.
 Nanshan was splendidly defended Nearly fifty guns of various sizes were mounted on various emplacements and there were also two batteries of quick firing field pieces. The artillery was sheltered behind loopholes in trenches on the terraces of the hill. The infan- try manning the field pieces ran with them around the hill. thus using these guns for the protection of the most important points.
 The Japanese began the fight by bringing all their field guns into ac- tiOn and concentrating their fire on the emplacements on the hill. By Il o'clock in the morning she principal Russian batteries had been silenced. Two Russian field batteries then with drew to Nersuanling hill, and from there continued to fire on the Japanese until nightfall.
 After the Russian batteries had been suenced, the Japanese artillery opened On the enemy's trenches, the Japanese infantry advancing, meanwhile, to within rifle range. The Japanese gradually worked to within 400 metres of the Russian lines, where they en- eountered the wire and other entangle- ments. They succeeded in discovering an opening in these obstacles and get ting finally to within 200 metres of the Russian trenches, when they rushed for the line. Several successive charges were made, but every officer and man in the attacking parties was shot down 20 or 30 metres from the line. The charges were then stopped and the Japanese artillery renewed it's prep aratory fire on the enemys position. Towards evening a detachment of Jap anese carried a section of the Russian trenches, breaking through the enemy's line. Hundreds of the comrades of these men, inspired by their success. sprang forward and then the entire Japanese line swept up the hill, driv- ing the Russians from their positions. 1t was in desperate infantry charges that the Japanese sustained the bulk Of their losses.