The Penn's Grove record., 1904-10-07
RUSSIAN CAVALRY ROUTED
General Samsonof With His Co.'S
sacks Forced to Retreat,
BLOODY HAND HAND FIGHTS

The Cars General Led a Brilliant
Charge, But a Calling Fire of Machine
Guns Crippled His Forces and Conn
PEELED a Observation-Disclosures Sharp
shooters Do Good Work.
Mukden.-Couriers arriving early in
the morning after a forced ride from
General Samsonoff's field headquar-
ters, bring information of a sudden re-
treat by that general in the face Of a
strong and rapid movement by Oku's
entire army. Instead of advancing
with their customary caution, the Japs
rushed into action in a way that indi-
Gated either a sudden accession of
recklessness or extreme confidence in
their strength.
General Oku attacked Samsonoff's
Cossacks with infantry and dragons.
and in less than twenty minutes the
entire Russian front at that point was
raked by a severe crossfre from the
enemy's batteries. Several Cossack
horse batteries were dismantled before
they could be swung into action. Two
sotnias, of cavalry fighting dismounted
were thrown on the centre with a loss
of more than thirty-fve in killed and
wounded, and in a quarter hour the en-
envy followed that success by turning
back both wings of SamSOnoffS diviS-
ion and weakening his centre with a
concentrated rifle and machine gun fire.
Samsonoff in person led a cavalry
charge, which, while a desperate rem
edy, was the only he could make
to save his whole division from panic.
He pushed between the broken halves
of his centre at the head of a regiment
of cavalry and hurled himself against
the Japanese skirmish line. Continu-
Gus fire from the machine guns emp
tied many saddles before the regiment
galloped from column to line forma-
ton, and one sotnia was almost cut to
pieces when completing the oblique
swing to its position on the left.
The gallant Cossacks rode forward at
great speed. however, standing in their
stirrup-leathers and firing as their
horses flew over the stretch of plain
that separated them from Oku's infan-
try and light batteries. Steadily as
they advanced their number was deci-
mated by the terrible fire of the ma
chine guns. Japanese sharpshooters
picked off the officers. General Sam
sonoff's uniform was riddled with bull
let's and his horse was killed under him
in the first shock with the batteries.
He remounted and led his men through
the skirmish line against battalions OF
infantry in close formation constituting
the enemy's support.
Hand-to-hand fighting between Cos
sacks and gunners followed the sweep
over the skirmishers. The enemy's eX-
tended formation was scattered and
stray soldiers were cut down before
they could rally on their companies.
More than IL gun squad was wiped
out by the cavalrymen. The enemy's
support, however, moved on the Cos
sacks and poured a heavy rifle fire into
the regiment. Several sotnias of Cos
sacks dismounted and fired prone al
he advancing infantry.
Others destroyed the Japanese guns
captured in the first rush and blew UP
ammunition wagons. General Oku ap'
parently was unprepared for such d
demonstration, so his reserve did not
come up behind the support quickly as
it should have done to repel the charge
The Cossacks and the Japanese infan'
try in the supporting force were about
equal in numbers. Neither side gained
further advantage for almost half an
hour, the fighting continuing among
and behind the guns. Many were
killed and wounded on both sides in
that stage of the battle, but no prison
ers were taken.
When Samsonoff's division was iT
full retreat Oku threw against his real
a brigade of infantry, fianked by two
regiments of dragons and several bat
teries of flying artillery. The Japan
csc rifiemen moved down the Cossack
gunners and the enemy's cavalry pur
sued the retreating division. Oku's
batteries advanced rapidly, taking pc
sition from time to time and directing
Il destructive fire at the Russian
ranks. General Samsonoff saved a few
of his guns, but was obliged to aban
don most of them to enable his cavalry
10 ocp0no humiliation