Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-13
BARBED WIRE IN WARFARE.
Thrilling Charge of Don Cossacks-
Jap Entanglements.
-respondence Of the Associated Press

Correspondence Of the Associated Press
MUKDEN, November This was an nm
known and unheralded fight when the Don
Cossacks set out to confound the arm
chair strategists and prove that cavalry
could take modern battery of quick frers
supported by infantry That they failed
was due only to another development of
modern warfare on which they had not
counted, barbed wire that hung IN their
charge under the very muzzies of the guns
But they failed CALAMITY and the Associated
Press correspondent heard of IL only some
time afterward from the officer who was
sent by Kuropatkin to personally congratu-
late the wounded colonel on the dash ard
discipline of his men.
The Sd Regiment OF Don Cossacks was
sent forward October IL to reconnoiter the
villages of Panpausen and Tzinziatun which
NOBODY ever heard Of before and whose To-
catlon was or no real interest to anvhody
except mat they are In the direction OF
Llandlantun, where the fight took place
The Japanese in the two villages first ramed
were taken by surprise. Panpauscn was
cleared by a whirlwind charge in which
there was great deal OF miscellaneous
shootlng from horseback and stabbinp and
sabering in the streets
In Tzinziatun the Japanese had Just set
tied down to dinner when the regiment
swept in with a clatter of hoofs AZ ono
end Of the village, and the enemy cleared
out at the other. There was not even a
semblance of defense, and the bearded
raiders, hungry and thirsty with their
mornings work, found dinner laid for
them in the native huts, with haif-drlDk
cups and glasses and scarce-tasted plates
of food. while In the window lodges stood
open jars of sweetmeats and presents from
Japan. They were flushed with success
and comfortably feeding. when a battery
of eight quick-firers inconsiderately dis
turbed them by Smelling the village from
some trenches in front Of Liandiantun.
1t was a reckless. perhaps unnecessary.
thing to do, but the colonel decided he
would get the guns just to show that IL
could be done. Away went the regiment,
charging in open order I'm the face of
heavy fire from the battery. and later conf
ing under hail of lead from the two COM
panies of infantry that were supporting
the battery on each flank. Neither the
shrapnel bursting overhead nor the infan-
try fire sufficed to break up the charge.
Indeed, the few bullets they got home
was one of the wonders of the charge.
The charge converged on the battery. and
1t looked for a moment as though the Co.'S
sacks would be able to ride down the gum
ners, when at the foot OF the trenches, UNI
der the very muzzles of the guns, the
horses were brought up by q series of clev-
erly concealed barbed-wire entanglements,
too broad to jump and too heavy to be torn
up 1t was there the captain of the lead
ing squadron was literally blown out OF
his saddle by a shrapnel. Twenty-eight
men were wounded. almost all close under
the guns, and ten killed. mostly during the
retreat, when all Of the wounded and most
of the dead were borne away ON their COM
rades' saddles.
The retreat was even more orderly than
the charge. The colonel was shot through
both legs. but stuck to his saddle until his
horse was killed under him He managed
to mount a second horse. and this also was
killed Then Cossack swung from his
own horse, helped the colonel into the sac
die and ran by the stirrup until they were
out of range Some dead horses and two
dead Cossacks were the only trophies left
IN the hands OF the enemy. The Dons took
their repulse gamely enough. but the eng
listed men seriousIy assert that haybe&
wire II not legitimate Warfaro.