The San Francisco call., 1904-11-04

two companies of another regiment
worked through the trenches and at
tackled the West Banjusan fort, the
magazine of which had been blown up
by a shell a short time before. TAX
ing advantage of a diversion of the
Russian fire, the Japanese attacking
the first fort forced the Russians back,
captured the fort at the point of the
bayonet and pursued the Russians
along the connecting trenches to the
Chinese wall.
The West Benjusan fort was cap
tured at Z o'clock, after a slight re-
sistance. The japanese were suhable
to occupy it. as the magazine. was
blown up, but they held the trench
line around the crest.
Dawn OF the 23d developed a pc
culiar position. The japanese had
pierced the Russian fortified ridge
east of Port Arthur, in the form of a
wedge, while the entire line east and
west was still strongly held.
AT daylight the Russians concen-
trated their shrapnel fire on the cap
tured forts and the Japanese south Of
Keekwan were elected from their po-
sitiOns. The Benjusan forts were sub
jected TO an awful fire, but the Japan
ese in possession of them continue
making bomb-proof trenches or the
hills.
RUSSIAN SHIPS PARTICIPATE.
In the afternoon "a battleshiD, ap-
parently the RetYizan, steamed out of
the harbor and a half dozen torpedo
boats chased the japanese torpedo
boats on duty off Port Arthur, the lat
ter rapidly rejoining their large war
vessels in the offing.
There was tremendous activity, the
rear lines sending forward ammuni-
ton. The news came in whispers that
a general assault along the whole line
would take place between midnight
and 8 O'Clock in the morning. For
hours after the ominous darkness and
silence was broken by an occasional
shell from the Japanese batteries,
while the Russians burst many staI-
lights over Shuishi village, where they
made feint TO sortie Immediately af-
ter furious fusillade in the rear of
the captured forts. Here the Rus
slams. anticipating an assault made a
strong counter attack. The Japanese
advance lines were driven from the
forts and were furiously attacked by
large bodies of Russians, who also
worked down on either side of the
captured Banjusan forts to the val
ley in an attempt to cut off the re-
treat OF the Japanese from the two
forts. The Russian move was cleVerly
planned and the artillery command
ers were we'll informed, for they
opened fire with shrapnel on the ad-
vance Of the japanese supports across
the valley, using starlight and search
light with good effect in the counter
attack on the Japanese forces.
The general assault then began, and
for twenty minutes the whole jap
anese line was engaged. The left di-
vision from the trenches in front of
the Keekwan forts charged the forti-
fed hills. Part of the advance had
gained the cTests and shouted Ban
zai, when their triumph was cut
short
Suddenly two powerful searchlights
OF the east forts lighted up the Jap
anese lines, and Russian rifles and ma,
chine guns poured a deadly hail into
the clearly visible ranks of the at
tacking troops. Despite. the awful
process Of unequal annihilation, the
Japanese stubbcrnly held the position
gained and their machine guns quick
ly located and quieted the Russian
quick frers. Finally the japanese were
slowly forced down the slopes to the
trenches below
DAZZLED BY SEARCHLIGHTS.
The fight was the fiercest in the CEN
ter of the Shuishi Valley. The Jap
anese captured the Banjusan forts.
outfanking the Russian forces and
slowly forcing their lines back to the
foot of the fortified hills. The Jap
anesc, well supported, rushed forward
furiously and engaged the Russians,
who had gained the valley, in an at
teTnpt to outflank the forts. Though
the japanese plan of attack was de-
stroyed by the Russian counter at
tack, the japanese fought with splen-
did. determination. Slowly the Rus
slams were driven back up the slopes,
fighting desperately with rifles The
Russian machine guns were used with
great effect, and the successful work.
ing of the Russian starlightS and
searchlights was utterly unexpected
and beNildering. They never failed to
locate the Japanese lines, which Of
fered splendid. marks for the Russian
ri1Ies and machine guns and rendered
the. Japanese. machine guns of little
use, as they were located and silenced
by quick drers before they could do
any execution. The Russians along the
whole line fought in the blackest dark
ness and the Japanese with the most
dazzling light in their faces.
+, The fight lasted continuously for six
hours, till dawn, when the outfiankers
were forced back over the captured for
titled hills, followed by the Japanese
who despite the fire Of the forts cap
stured the forts and joined their force
from the valley.
CENTER AGAIN ATTACKS.
Before dawn on the 22d the center
division made a third attempt to cap
ture the higher fortified ridge of Ash
Hill, the new Banjusan fort on the
higher ridge and the rear forts. The
Banjusan forts were stormed and cap
tuFed, the Japanese pursuing the Rus
slams who had defended them Two
hundred Japanese officers and men were
killed. They all belonged to a regiment
of the center division, which reached a
neck between the double peaks of Wan
tai
The japanese captured a fort, where
they intrenched themselves. With day
light the japanese artillery started a
terrific bombardment. More than 40C
guns roared in rapid succession, until
the entire ridge was enveloped in q
cloud of smoke. For a time every Rus
sian fort was silenced.
When the smoke cleared away it was
seen that the left division had ad-
vanced through the captured forts One
regiment attacked the East Keekwan
fort, but was repulsed. Another regi-
ment advanced I'D the northeast slopes