The Grit-advocate., 1904-10-07
MORE SLAUGHTER
IN FORTS AROUND PORT ARTHUR.
Defenses Taken and Retaken In Bloody
Hand to Hand Confiiets.-Gsnera
Stoessel's Proclamation.


ST. Petersburg, Oct Am onlcial
| report from General Stoessel. dated
| September 23d, reached Che Foo to-
| day, confirming previous report OF
the repulse of the Japanese attack on
| Port Arthur. which began September
| 18th and ended September 22d. The
| fighting was of an extremely severe
| character. The Japanese having re-
| tired, General Stoessel issued the fol-
| lowing proclamation:
GLORY! Thanks to God. Glory to our
heroic garrison! Glory to Illman, Sy-
chaff and oggorsky.-heroes all.
/ Thanks to our valiant volunteers who
/ routed the enemy from the trenches,
destroying them. God has permitted
US to repulse the enemy. Praise to
God"
The volunteers referred to by Cen
eral Stoessel in the proclamation
which he issued after the desperate
fighting which took place between
September 10Th and 22d were made
| up OF regulars called upon to take
hill which had been captured by the
| Japanese.
From semi-official sources 1t Is
learned that the attack began on the
four days, various positions changing
hands many times
The high hill mentioned was a very
! important position to the Russians.
| The Japanese attacked repeatedly, day
and night, finally occupying the posi-
| tion on the night of September 22d
! after suffering very severe losses. The
attempt to retake the hill being ex-
| "a, a1
refused to issue tho order, but called
. for volunteers. Everybody called
upon responded, whereupon requisite
number of men were selected, Lieu
/ tenant Poggorsky and Captain Sy-
char leading them. Soldiers and Off.
GERS alike carried grenades (explosive
shells weighing from two to six
| pounds. which are thrown by hand)
and with these they attacked the
Japanese temporary Notifications and
drove the latter from all Of their po-
/ sitions. Several mines were exploded
F, during the general battle, causing Sc
we're losses. The Russians calculate
! that the total Japanese losses for the
F., four days fighting reach 10000 men.
The attack began with heavy bonn
/ bardment directed against nearly all
the Russian outposts and many Of the
main forts. The shelling Of the re.
| doubts protecting the water supply Of
/ Port Arthur was tremendous. Night
fall September 10Th found the water
| works redoubts reduced to mere heaps
OF debris. The garrisons of the re-
doubts thereupon retreated safely to
| the main Notifications under the cover
Of darkness.
At O'Clock the same afternoon the
Japanese assault on High Hill" began.
The Japanese plan of attack never va
| ried. First a bombardment and then
an assault and when repulsed a bom-
, bardment again and then another as
sault. The desperate determination Of
the Japanese to capture this position
amounted to fanaticism, their efforts
never ceasing during four days. One
battalion Of Japanese, having retreated
into valley. were exposed to the Rus
sian shrapnel fire and we're almost an
initiated.
Eventually the Japanese succeeded
in placing one field gun and two ma
chine guns in position behind hastily
made barriers. Their tenure of the
position, owing to the fire Of the inner
forts, was very insecure, and when
Lieutenant Poggorsky and the volun-
teers charged the tide turned against
them. One battalion, composed OF the
remnants of two companies, was an
initiated in trenches which they re.
fused to desert Another detachment
was driven into the Russian entangle-
ments. where Captain Sychaff's foA,e
was waiting. and completed its rout
Two other attempts made by the Jap
anese to retake the positions failed.