The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-26
ON TO MUKDEN.
Continued from First Page.)


The infantry fighting during this
period was comparatively trivial
At noon on September 70, the Jap
anese right and center. the former be-
ing to the west and the latter to the
east of the railroad. commenced the
| trenches and infrequent natural cover
| that lay in their way. The small forts
to the south of Shushiyen resisted this
advance but briefly. their garrisons not
being strong numerically.
| Since the beginning of the mbard-
ment the artillery fire from Fort Kuro-
patkin had been growing steadily
weaker, and, it having become appar-
ent that it had been practically 81
tlenced, the Japanese assaulted the
fort. Fort Kuropatkin is situated to
the south of Palichuang and to the
northeast of the parade ground on a
low hill. 1t derived its name from the
time when General Kuropat6in in
spected it. pointed out the weakness of
the position and ordered that it be
strengthened as far as possible be-
cause of the necessity of protecting the
water supply. While situated in the
chain of main forts, Fort Kuropatlkin
never has been as strong as the others,
and after severe fighting it fell into the
hands of the Japanese. This capture
lessons further the security of the fort
on Rihlung mountain, which is now
threatened from a new quarter as well
as from Palichuang.
At O'Clock of the afternoon of the
goth, the japanese captured a supple
mentary fort, which, from the lower
ground threatens the fort on Itz noun
tain. This ended the heavy fighting for
that day, although the Japanese later
We're compelled to resist several sorties.
During the night the heavy lombard
ment of the Russian positions contin-
ued the japanese fire being directed
with particular vigor against another
supplementary fort 1000 yards to the
of a
regarded as highly important. because
of its bearing on the 1tz and Anshu
mountain forts. The next day, after
having pounded this position unmerci-
fully and until its fire had been slack
ened visibly, the Japanese delivered
their assault. They met with d stub
born resistance. They were exposed to
the fire of machine guns and rifles and
they made frantic efforts to reach the
crest of the slope. They 1eaped over
trenches and entertainments and tore
down the entanglements in their path
until at length they entered the fort.
The Russian troops there refused to
desert their position, even in the face
of the superior numbers which con-
fronted them, and desperate hand-to-
hand fighting occurred inside the fort.
Eventually almost the entire Russian
garrison was either killed or wounded.
The foregoing information has been
from a tried Chinese of unlrn-
eachable truStW OrthineSS.
Military experts here are of the opln-
ion that, if the Japanese capture either
the Rihlung or Kikwan forts or the 1tz
and Anshu forts, the doom of Port Ar
thus is sealed, and for this reason the
Importance of the results obtained by
the Japanese in their latest assaults
upon the Russian positions is obvious.
AS the Chinese from whom the CORE
spondent of the Associated Press OBJ !
tanned mis- information left Port Arthur
the night of September 21, he is unable |
to say whether the battle was renewed |
on the 22nd or not. although junks |
which have come in here bring reports !
Of a light bombardment on that day.
A steamer which has arrived here |
from Port Dalny confirms previous re- |
ports that there was heavy fighting at |
Port Arthur on September "a.