The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-04-20
FIERCE BATTLE IN KOREA
Advance Forces of Russian and Jap-
aneSe Armies in Contact.
DEADLY HAND-T0-HAND FIGHT

From the scene-Tokio Dispatches Say
the Russians Suffered severely-st.
Petersburg Advices Say the Enemy
Lost lao In Killed and Wounded.
Later dispatches give further par
ticulars about the fighting between
Japanese and Russian forces at Chong-
ju, Korea. The official japanese re-
port says that the Russians were de-
feated and retreated toward Wiju
The Japanese casualties are given as
few, ard the assertion is made that
the Russians suffered at least as many
killed and wounded as the Japanese.
A supplementary report from the Rus
sian commander in Korea. however,
says that the Japanese losses were
forty killed. 100 wounded. and a num-
Der of horses. A Toxic dispatch tells
of 4 fight near Ping Yang, in which
the Russians were driven from tenn
pOrary fortress.
London.-The Japanese Legation
here has received the following Off
cial report from Toxic Of the fighting
between Japanese and Russian forces
at Chongju, Korea:
"On March 2S portion of our cav
airy and infantry forces occupied
Chongju after defeating the enemy.
The enemy. who numbered about 600
men. retreated in the direction of
Wiju. Our casualties were Lieuten-
ant Kano and four others killed; Cap
tain Kurokawa and twelve others
wounded Of the cavalry force. There
were no casualties among our infan-
try. Two dead bodies were left by
the enemy on the field. but it is re-
ported that some seven or eight were
killed inside the town. These were
promptly carried off by the enemy on
horseback or by ambulance. The
Russians were seen conveying in all
ambulance two dead men, apparently
officers, and blood stained bandages
were found scattered around. The
enemy must have sustained losses at
least equal to our own"
st. Petersburg-A later official dis
patch from General Mishtchenko re-
ports that on the authority of the in.
habitants Of Chongju, Korea. the jap
anese lost forty men killed. 100
wounded. and a number of horses dur
ing the fighting there. The Japanese
employed 500 Korean bearers to carry
their wounded to Anju. General
Mshtchenko adds that Captain Stop
anoff, who was among the Russian
wounded. succumbed.
The above was forwarded to the En-
peror by General Kouropatkin. In re-
porting the Russian losses at Chong-
ju, General Kouropatkin said that
three officers were severely wounded,
one less seriously; three Cossacks were
killed, and twelve men were wounded.
Tokio.-A mixed force of Japanese
cavalry and Infantry attacked and
dispersed a force Of Russians at Tron-
jyn. near Ping Yang.
The Russians had erected a tempor-
ary fortress. which was defended by
n force Of Cossack cavalry estimated at
UUO uC llluShCu LII SNhSio
erable force. The Russians offered a
strong resistance at first, but finally
fell dack, abandoning their positions.
The Japanese sustained loss of one
officer and one sergeant killed and
two officers and ten privates wound
ed. The Russians are reported to have
left three dead behind but have sue
ceeded in carrying off the wounded.
The Japanese force entered the town
cheering for the Emperor.
New Chwang.-Under strong rep
resentation made by United States
Consul Henry B. Miller that the civil
administrator had invaded neutral
rights when he ordered the lowering
of the American flag from buildings
belonging to American citizens. even
though it was done through the ap.
prehensiOn that the flag was illegally
used by Chinese for the purpose Of re.
sistiug police inspection. the civil ad.
ministrator has promised, duly and
in proper form through the military. to
raise the flag over the building from
which it was removed. The British
flag which was ordered taken down
will also be allowed to remain.