The San Francisco call., 1904-07-23
SIavS Are Routed
by Japanese at
Kiaotung.
Kuroki Defeats a
Large Force of
the Enemy.

GENERAL KUROKIS HEAD
QUARTERS, Wednesday, July 20
The japanese attack upon the Russians
at Kiaotung yesterday resulted in an
, other Russian disaster. Kiaotung is
twenty-five miles from these headquar-
ters. Few details of the engagement
have been received, but they indicate
that the fighting was fierce. The Rus
slams had more than one division en-
gagged and artillery was used freely.
The Russians are fortifying new posi-
tions before Molten Pass.
More Russians were killed in the
fighting OF Sunday, July II, than can
be buried and the Japanese are now
engaged in cremating the bodies.
TOXIC, July 22.-General Kuroki,
after severe fight, occupied Kiaotung
on July 19. The place had been fortified
by the Russians, who defended 1t
stoutly. In the fighting General Ku-
roki's troops drove the Russians from
their strongly fortified position on the
Chi River, which is northwest Of Mo
tien Pass and east Of Anping. inflict-
ing upon the enemy more serious losses
than the Japanese sustained. The fight
began on the 18th and ended on the
18th. The japanese lost 424 men in
killed and wounded. The Russian losses
are estimated at 1000.
RUSSIANS TURN SUDDENLY.
General Kuroki began his advance
early in the morning Of the 18th. He
| uncovered and followed the enemy
along the Chi River. The Russians
| seemed to be retiring to the northward,
when suddenly two battalions. with
eight guns, turned and attacked the
Japanese vanguard vigorously. AT this
point the Japanese suffered before re-
| lief came, one company losing all its
| officers.
| At a late hour in the afternoon the
Russians position was developed. They
occupied an eminence on the banks OF
the Chi. This river guarded their left
flank and high precipices protected the
Russians on the right. The only ap-
proach to their position was through a
| narrow defile.
The fighting continued until dark,
when the Japanese forces bivouacked-
The Russians made two counter at
tacks, but were repulsed in each case.
The Japanese renewed the attack at
midnight, posting their artillery in the
valley below and on the high ground
to the south of the Russian position
The main Japanese body was assigned
to attack the Russian center; a small
| detachment was sent toward the right
flank and another to watch the enemy
/ left flank After these positions had
been taken, the fighting ceased for
/ time, but it was resumed at dawn.
RETREAT BECOMES A ROUT.
| The Russians had thirty-two guns
| in action, and they vigorously shelled
the Japanese. To this fire the Japanese
! replied, and the bombardment lasted
/ four hours During this time the Jap
anese infantry moved forward and the
! hankers had succeeded in scaling the
/ heights on the Russian right by 3
! o'clock in the afternoon, at which hour
the main force was ordered to storm the
Russian center. The Japanese artil-
! Iery protected this movement splendid
Iy but the infantry met with a severe
/ fire and lost heavily in gaining the
heights.
The final successful charge was de-
livered at $50 in the afternoon. The
Japanese succeeded in partially cut
ting off the Russian retreat, and this
soon became a rout. The enemy re-
tired in two directions, to the north
ward and to the eastward.
The Russian forces engaged included,
in addition to the artillery, seven bat
talions of infantry and regiment Of
Cossacks. The enemy left 131 dead and
800 rifles on the field. Prisoners taken
estimate the Russian losses at 1000.
The Japanese lost one officer and fifty
four men killed and eighteen officers
/ and 351 men wounded.
On July 10 Japanese forces attacked
a battalion of infantry and 1000 cavalry
that occupied Chechiato, to the north
ward of Shaotientzu. After four hours
of fighting the Russians retired across
| the Taitsu River. In this engagement
the Japanese had seventeen men
wounded.
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