The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-05-10
FLAG UNF FURLED
ON THE HEIGHTS
Eyewitness Describes Advance
Of Japs from Wiju
KILLED BY THEIR OWN SHELLS
Deadly Missiles Fired From Wiju and
Falling Short Killed Many of
the Advancing Con-
querors.
KILLED BY THEIR OWN SHELLS

wlju, May 1. (via Seoul. May S.-When
the early mist drifted from the Yalu
river this morning the Japanese infantry
was disclosed lined up for battle on the
low, sandy island of Kinteito, which Is
in front of WITH.
The walls and towers Of the city on the
hill. issuing abruptly from the south
bank of the river and the nearest of the
three channels, were crowded with Japa-
nese and Korean spectators for the forth
coming attack. Klnteito is hardly any
thing more than the dry bed of the river.
1t is a low, sandy plain only few feet
above the level of the water and without
shrubbery or cover except on its south
ern half. The infantry law with stacked
arms across the island awaiting their
work. The soldiers were spread out in
their black lines three miles long from a
point on the islands opposite the village
Of Chiu Lien Cheng on the west to a
point opposite the extremity of the Tig-
ers Head on the east. The division of the
imperial guards occupied the center of
the line; another division on the west,
and third on the east of the line
The Tigers Head forms a peninsula pro-
jeeting into the river almost parallel to
the south bank. The Japanese division
which executed the hanking movement
from upstream yesterday with almost
its full force was now on the islands
north. Four field batteries were behind
the infantry on its extreme fanks, con-
cealed by the shrubbery. Two batteries
| 10 Dnf Nv hill
the Manchuria side of the river for half
an hour, while the sun was rising. They
sprlnkled with shells the embankments
whence the Russian guns had been firing
for the past week, but no response to
their fire was Forthcoming, and IT looked
| as If the Russians bad removed their
batteries during the night.
1t seemed as IL the enemy had with
drawn entirely as no signs of life could
be seen on their works. Soon after
o'clock the japanese began to advance
Their distance from the Korean to the
Manchurian bank of the Yalu is about
two miles. The Japanes troops spread
out In extended formation as they went
forward. When they were within few
hundred yards of the hills on the Man
| churian side, they threw themselves
prone on the ground and began volleying.
In the meantime the Japanese batteries
searched the hills with shrapnel.
| nurrying Among the Hills.
The Russians could now be seen at
| intervals where the road was exposed,
hurryng in small squads among the
hills. These exposed stretches of the
road made fine targets for the Japanese
gunners. A fierce fire was concentrated
on one open space, half the shrapnel
thrown bursting over a small area with
wonderful prescision. There was per-
feet shower of puffs of white smoke at
this place and the observers could see
the work of an occasional shell as 1t
dug a great hole in the earth and scat
tered quantities of rock
Still the Russians remained silent.
There was no answering fire from them
until the first Japanese line was with
In few hundred yards of the river
bank. Then sharp volleys burst almost
simultaneously from several trenches,
and the attacking Japanese found them
selves under heavy and continuous fire
| at easy range from covered positions high
above them. They lay behind the sand
hillocks replying bravey and hotly to the
| fire while their own batteries pumped
over their heads. The Japanese officers
sat on their horses or walked along the
| lines. They were in way sheltered,
nor protected.
few stretcher bearers on coming back
to the field hospital indicated that men
4 were being wounded.
The Russian smokeless powder was ex-
ceent 1t made 1t impossible for the
Japanese to discover the exact position
| of their army or to estimate their num-
bers.
Soon after o'clock the Russian fire
| was largely siienced by the combined
/ artillery and infantry attack of the Japa-
nese and parties of the enemy's troops
could be seen hurrying upward over the
mountain roads In retreat
Fire as They Advance.
Two regiments of Japanese troops, one
directly opposite Win and another near
village on the west, ran to the river,
stopping to fire now and then as they
progressed and giving shrill cheers as
they hurried forward which echoed clear
over the plain. Their formation was
closer than that kept by British or Am
erican troops and 1t looked as though
their losses must be great. They forded
the river across the sands and climbed
ZIP the steep rocky hillsides like swarm
Of ants, their red and yellow cap bands
cleaning in the sun. One Japanese SOL
dier in one of these regiments carried
something white with him. This was
seen and 1t caused a shout to go up that
the Russians had surrendered. But up
on reaching the top of the first Russian
trench a hundred yards up the hillside.
this man shook out Japanees flag and
waved 1t to and fro.
stormng party on the west side of
the advance side mounted a hill COM
mandng the Russian retreat Just as
the men were punched thckiy on the
crest of the hill two Japanese shells
hurst among them. They had fallen
short. When the smoke had cleared
away dozen bodies could be seen lying
where the shells had exploded, and the
remainder of the storming party were
| clambering down the hill to escape this
unexpected fire from their rear.
Went on Over the Hills.
The sound of rifle firing soon passed
on over the hills as the Japanese pur-
sued the retreating enemy One column
of weary soldiers who had been almost
two days without rest, was trudging
down the river toward Antung where the
Japanese gungoats were sheling the Rus
sian works.
Il At o'clock a solitary soldier climbing
ahead Of his comrades unftsled huge
japanese flag on the face Of the topmost