Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-08-10
SUNDAYS BATTLE.
Most Important for Japs Since Cross
ing Yalu.

General Kuroki's Headquarters in the
Field via. Seoul Aug. 1.-Sunday's bat
tie was the most important which Gen.
Kuroki's army has fought since cross
ing the Yalu. Many more Russians
were engaged than in any former bat
tie. They occupied an equally strong
position, had many more artilledy ana
We're better acquainted with the cOun-
try, having for a long time occupied
the area over which the Japanese ma
lneuvered. The japanese victory upon
this occasion. is not more important
than that at Yalu was won against
greater odds and was consequently a
better test of the mettle of their troops
and more credtable to their Valor as
the result was that the Japanese gained
10 miles or more on their advance to-
ward Lao Yang.
How far the Russians have retreat
ed is not known yet, but only one strong
strategic and defensive position inter-
venes betw zen Gen. Kurokis army and
Lao Yang, that being situated eight
miles south of that city.
| 1t is impossible to estimate the Rus
sian casualties during the engagement
and reports of losses on the japanese
side were not rendered, Monday morn
ing.
While the Russians and japanese on
this side are stretched over long line
of country the Russians are known to
have four div siOns in the field between
that point and Mukden. q large proper
ton of the men being Poles from Eu-
rope.
The theater of the part of the battle
witnessed by the correspondent of The
Associated Press was a valley begin
lining three miles from the Yangsee pass.
This valley. which is about 10 miles long.
nowhere more than Il mile wide ana
running from north to south, is level.
covered with high corn, giving the
troops fine cover.
| In the morning the two armies We're
confronting each other across the val
ley. The japanese army was stationed
on ranges Of hills fronting the pass
while the Russians held higher range
west of the valley. An artillery en-
igagement began in the morning ana
LASTED until 5 in the afternoon, during
whittier neither side appeared to gain
any advantage so far as spectators
could Judge. The Russians had now
batteries in the high hills beyond the
village of Towan commanding the Lilac
Yang road which the Japanese shelled
heavily all day from the front and left
without silencing.
The Japanese artillery was handi-
capped in action by soft roads which
forced them to bring up ammunition by
hand.
, The Russians used "a guns from Mo-
ten pass. The japanese had two OF
moro batteries in the hill and one OF
two batteries in the valley on the plain
without any cover except the high corn
(which the Russians never discovered
focusing all their fire on the batteries
lin the hills.
. A spectacular and daring feature OF
the day was the advance of the Japa-
nese infantry across the valley which
, began at P. NJ. and resulted in the
: occupation of all of the Russian gun po-
, stions and their infantry entrench'
'ments in the space of two hours. The
Russians. as usual, could not Withstand
= the charges of the japanese infantry
t and fled through the hills.
The appearance of the field, mex
morning. indicated complete rout. the
2 Russians leaving much clothing ant
: ,camp paraphernalia behind them.
e AS a battery stationed just to the
right of a tower in the village of To-
2 wan from which Lieut.. Gen. Sakharof
| commander Of the 1st Siberian army
l Icorps, witnessed the engagement
3 dashed down a hill in retreat, one CUR
l was overturned and left at the foot Of
: the declivity where it fell.