The San Francisco call., 1904-07-28
THREE TORPEDO-BOAT DESTROYERS
OF PORT ARTHUR'S FLEET ARE PUT
OUT OF ACTION BY THE JAPANESE
Graphic Details of
the Tatchekiao
Battle.


ST PETERSBURG. July 27. = The
Emperor has received from General
Kuropatkin report conveying Gen
eral Zaroubaieff's account of the bat
tie of Ttachekiao. The report details
the enga cement at great length and in
dicates that the Japanese claims of
victory were unfounded. The Russian
force repulsed the japanese at all
points and held their positions through
out the entire day. At night, finding
that the japanese were being heavily
reinforced. Zaroubaieff ordered a re-
tirement. which was carried out in per
feet order and without losses. This
retreat was in accordance with Gen
eraI Kuropatkins orders to fall back
rather than risk a decisive battle
against superior numbers. Zarou-
baieff's report. after describing the
opening stages Of the engagement, is in
part as follows:
AT about O'Clock in the morning
Japanese infantry was observed mass
| ing in Mantsiatoun, Yantsuokara and
Dafanshen. The fire now became CEN
tered on our troops occupying the
heights south of Tsianchiatsia. At the
same time two battalions Of Japanese
infantry attempted TO occupy NOUN
| tain to the northwest of Dafanshen;
but being dislodged by our artillery
the japanese took flight Our shells
| burst full in the enemy's ranks.
AT about II o'clock between three
and four japanese battalions were
firing on our troops occupying the
| heights of Tsianchiatsia. A battery of
Russian field artillery and another
horse artillery then began TO fire from
NandaIine. their fire converging upon
Dafanshen. AS result the Japanese
| fire slackened.
Immediately after IL O'Clock the
troops posted at Tsianchiatsia were re-
! inforced by a reserve battery, our fire
again causing considerable slackening
/ OF the enemy's cannonade.
BATTALION LOSES HEAVILY.
AT o'clock in the afternoon all Of
our artillery, beginning from the Nan
daline position, changed front and
| opened fire upon Dafanshen with such
| marked success that the troops in that
section of the field attempted to take
| the offensive against the Japanese right
| flank A battalion sent in advance re-
ported the presence of large reserves
| of the enemy on the line from Ment-
! siatoum to Fanchankau. The battalion
! sustained heavy casualties and was
| obliged 10 retire. AT the same time the
japanese occupying the heights Of
Fanchankau threw forward at least
/ three more batteries.
AT 7:S0 o'clock the japanese fire was
/ al its height, and in the last rays Of
/ the setting sun the enemy delivered his
attack on the Barnaoulstk regiment.
! The latter reinforced by three bat
/ talions under the command OF Colonel
Debrotin valiantly swept back the
4 enemy making four bayonet charges
and capturing a number mot yet ascer-
tained) of rifles, together with ammu-
milton.
AT o'clock in the evening the can
nonade ceased. but the rifle fire con-
! tinued until late in the night. We re-
/ tanned all our positions
After the fight il was ascertained
/ that our eighteen battalions had been
/ engaged with at least two Japanese
divisions, supported by an overwhelm-
! ing number of other batteries. The
general extent of the position meas
ured nine miles. In these circum-
stances 1 did not think ii advisable to
resume the action on the following day
and resolved to retreat toward the
north The withdrawal was effected
In pDfect order
LOSSES ARE NOT GREAT.
Our losses have not been ascertain-
ed but they are estimated at about
twenty officers and 500 men killed and
wounded Among the wounded is Colo
mel Auspensky, commanding-the Tomsk
regiment.
L must testify TO the remarkable
firmness displayed by all the troops in
my command during this difficult ac-
tior which lasted eighteen hours. The
Siberian regiments which had met the
main Japanese attack in particular dis
tinguished themselves by their un-
Wayering endurance. Not an inch Of
ground was yielded, despite the enorm-
Gus numerical superiority of the enemy
and the repeated attacks on our center.
where the fighting on four occasions
was conducted at close quarters with
the bayonet. which the Japanese could
not Withstand
THE list of the men meriting rewards
for their share in this glorious fight
will follow. In the meantime / beg to
mention the great valor of the Tebolsk
and Tomsk regiments, Of two bat
talions of the Semipalatinsk regiment
and in particular of the BarnaouIsk
regiment. which covered itself with
glory The conduct of all our batteries.
which remained in action for fifteen
and a half hours under heavy fire, was
beyond all praise.
II am unable to give the exact num-
Der of losses sustained by the Japanese,
but I venture 70 say that their losses
were greater than ours"
JAPAN'S VERSION OF BATTLE.
TOXIC, July 27.-In a daring night
attack against a Russian force esti-
mated at five divisions. with 100 guns,
General Oku succeeded in driving the
enemy from his strong line of defenses
south of Tatchekiao.
| Advancing on Sunday, General Oku
found a superior force confronting him,
and that a heavy artillery fire from
the enemy was checking his men. He
thereupon decided to hold the positions
he then held and to attempt night