Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1904-09-08

Japanese Attack. Russian Forces with
100000 Men Celebrate MikaGo's
Birthday by Hurting Shower of
Shrapne1 at the Eneuy-IIany Slain.
The lCng-eXpected battle at Lao
yang began On Tuesday and the armies
Of the Gar and MikadO engaged in
what was expected to be the decisive
battle Of the campaign. The general
advance Of the japanese began Mon
day at noon, the Russian Outposts fall
ing back upon the main lines. The
heaviest fighting was taking place
when the news dispatch was sent,
from a point ten miles southeast of
Liaoyang, where the japanese seemed
to be concentrating for their main
blow. The Russians suffered princi-
pally from the shrapnel fire Of the JAP
anese artillery. The Japanese select
ed the Mikado's birthday for the de-
cisive battle.
The Russian forces We're disposed at
Liaoyang to meet the onslaught Of the
three japanese armies described in the
dispatches. The combined armies Of
Gen. Kuroki, Gen. Oku and Gen. Nod
zu probably exceed 100000 men. Their
forces are considerably superior in
numbers to Gen. KurOpatkin' but the
Russian communicated relied up
on the strength and character Of his
position to overcome the disparity in
numbers.
The Japanese searched the whole
countryside with their IRE, selecting
certain squares of territory On which
for a few moments they massed a hail
Of shot and shell from all their guns.
Then they passed to another square,
thus working the whole field, with
mathematical precision, from right to
left In this way the entire Russian
front was Systematically searched in
the first four hours of the cannonad-
ing. Then commenced the general jap
anese advance along the whole line.
The Japanese lost 1000 men killed
or wounded at the battle Of Anping.
The Russian losses have not been es-
timated, but are said to have been
heavy. The Japanese captured eight
guns at Anping and eight at Anshan-
shan.
The Russian retreat from Anshan-
shan was ordered for strategic reasons,
practically no resistance being offered.
a light screen Of batteries facing the
japanese guns beautifully disposed On
a chain of hills masked the withdraw
al of the main force. When night fell
the batteries also took up the retreat,
their rear guard lighting biyouac fires
to conceal the movement. The Japan
csc soon discovered this ruse and
pressed forward, coming up with the
Russian rear guard Sunday morning
For an hour the light batteries were
holly engaged. To the lot Of the
Omsk, Tobosk and Krasnovarsk regi-
ments fell the duty Of covering the re-
treat of General Zaroubaleff's Fourth
Siberian army corps. The task was
difficult, as the enemy continued to adj
vance, deploying light mountain guns
against the Russian rear and left
tanks, and it was imperative that the
enemy should be held back to permit
the removal of the baggage and artil-
lery trains. The roads were washed
out and heavy with mud produced by
the deluge Of rain preceding Friday.
Many guns were mired and the
horses exhausted. COssacks and infan-
trymen were harnessed to the guns
and managed to haul them along. It
was slow work, but was successfully
accomplished. The greatest difficulty
Of the retirement on the east front was
experienced before Nanbantai pass,
where it was necessary to hold the
japanese in check until the artillery
transport passed through and also to
keep in touch with the Tenth Army
Corps, commanded by General Hersch-
elmann, to the north, as we'll as with
the southern division, in order to pre-
vent a turning movement. From dawn
until dark the eastern troops, although
latigued by four days fighting, sus-
tanned rear guard action.
The last Japanese general attack on
Port Arthur was repulsed with heavy
losses. They captured two small forts
situated to the northeast mile and
half from town. 1t is believed that
they were Forts 10 and II, and that
the Japanese cannot hold them, owing
to the dominating fire from the forts
on either side. 1t is also said that the
JaDanpSe have abandoned their confi-
dence in the immediate capture Of the
fortress.