Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-30
HOT ARTILLERY DUEL.
Correspondent Tells Story of Heavy
Tatchekiao Fight

MCKDEN. July 3O-A correspondent Of
the Associated Press who witness the battle
of Tatchekiao. July % to July %. and who
rode over hundred miles on horseback, all
the way to Mukden. to bring the account
gives the following personal description Of
the engagement:
The correspondent was awakened at 5
O'Clock in the morning of July q by the
booming OF guns. He had slept in the vii
lage of Tientsiatin. four miles south of
Tatchekiao. where the regiment to which
he was attached was stationed.
He hurriedly rode to the Russian outposts
and found them engaged In a hot artillery
duel. which continued for two hours Then
the batteries slowly retreated on the main
position. where Gen. Zaroutsaieff decided
TO accept battle. The Russian gunners
thence poured welldirected hail of pro-
Jectiles. effectually stopping the Japanese
advance and enabling the various outpost
detachments to fall back in safety.
The artillery fire ceased at about IL
o'clock, and then for three hours the Japa-
nese were engaged in placing their bat
teries In position and in disposing their
forces In order of bate. At in the after
noon the bombardment recommended and
lasted until after o'clock. The Japanese
had several guns of large calber. and all
their batteries We're sending out streams Of
shrapnel on the Russian positions. but not
causing much harm. In fact, the total
losses at first were Insignificant.
The night was perfectly quiet. The cor
respondent slept in the village of Sinmfn-
tin. directly behind the Russian positions.
The real battle opened the next morning.
The first gun fired at o'clock and
thenceforth the roar of artillery did not
cease for an Instant until $40 in the even
ing. At times the firing acquired extraordi-
nary violence.
The site of the battle was about three
miles south of Tatchekiao and two miles
discernible from the heights overlooking
the battlefield. But nothing occurred in
that direction.
The Russian positions fronted south. with
a slight inclination eastward. About two
artillery corps were engaged.
The correspondent was able to follow only
the experience of Gen. Zaroubaiefr's corps,
and confines himself to recording the in
cidents of this portion OF the Russian
troops. Zaroubaief's corps occupied a po-
sition on two hills of which the larger was
crowded by three submits.
The commander and his STAFF stationed
themselves on the highest point, the center
one. whence they had an uninterrupted
view of the surrounding country. The gem
erd had placed batteries on the plain be
hind these hills. the guns being cleverly
masked by lofty Chinese corn. The Japa-
nese tried vainly the whole day to locate
them. and the Russian losses, therefore,
were slight. The men suffered more from
the scorching heat of the sun than from
the Japanese projectilcs.
Ii was essentially an artillery battle, but
IL was remarkable and even uncanny that
during the thirteen hours it lasted the Rus
slams could not make out single Japanese
soldier. even with the most powerful
glasses From the position occupied by
Gen. Zaroubaieffs troops not Il single rifle
shot was fired but the gunners on both
sides worked like madmen.
The air was split and torn by the deafen-
Ing. crashing reports OF the guns. the dull
booming of the distant shots furnishing d
background OF deep bass for the vicious
kissing of the hurrying messengers OF
death exploding about the Russians. White
puffs of smoke from the exploding shrap-
mel shells formed clouds overhead. into
which were thrown fountains of dust and
sand when the shells burst the ground
upon impact. showering bullets and splint-
ers around.
The Japanese fire was at first concen-
trated upon the eastward hill, held by a
small force Of Russians. and by IL o'clock
this part OF the position was literally
aftame. enough to try the courage OF the
brayest soldier. The men threw themselves
down. with their faces to the ground as
soon they heard the hiss of the ap-
preaching shells. which, on striking, dug
deep craters in the hillside. whence the
spouting fire looked like miniature volca-
noes, When this spectacle OF savage
splendor had lasted four or five hours one
after another OF the Russian positions be-
came untenable.
In the meantime the gunners serving the
Russian batteries behind the hills redoubled
their euergiss and the japanese were svt-