The San Francisco call., 1904-09-17
STORY OF THE FIGHTING.
Deeds of Heroism Displayed on Field
at LiaOyang. =.

Deeds oil HcfOiSm OiSDldycO O1l IAOhu
at Liaoyang. -
MUKDEN, Sept. 6, via st. Peters
burg, Sept. II. 2:37 a. m.-Supplement-
ary details of the battle of Liaoyang
show that the First and Third Siberian
Corps after bravely withstanding the
onslaught of six divisions Of the Japa-
nese army under Generals Oku and
Nodzu while holding position south OF
I.iaoyang received orders TO cross the
river on September to Join the lO,OeO
troops in advancing against General
Kurold, who was threatening the Rus
sian positions.
Meanwhile the defense of the Russian
positions on the southern bank of the
river was intrusted to the Second and
Fourth Corps, which were given posi-
tions around the city. The center OF
gravity had now been transferred TO
the right bank of the river.
n The Seventh Corps, which had been
stationed there, was subjected on Aug
ust 81 TO a heavy bombardment by
japanese artillery situated north OF
Sykwantun The tactical key of this
position was a solitary hill, whence the
japanese could be seen crossing the
river at Wankwantun.
Nine companies of the Tenth Euro
pean Regiment held this hill suppo1ed
on the right by the Bolkhoff regiment,
with the Neshinsk regiment in reserve.
Here occurred the most brilliant en-
counter and the most desperate hght-
ing OF the whole battle. On September
l the Japanese concentrated their ar
tillery fire upon the hill and by evening
occupied it The Neshinsk regiment
was ordered on the next day to retake
the hill, and after artillery preparation,
headed by its colonel on horseback, the
regiment tried to rush the heights.
FIGHT HAND TO HAND.
The japanese fire was terrific and
moved down whole companies, but the
Neshinsks went on, gaining ground
inch by inch TILL finally, they reached
the top. Then there was a frightful
hand 10 hand struggle. The japanese
were obliged to fall back, and the
Neshinsk Regiment occupied the hill,
which they managed TO hold until even
ing. Then, unable to Withstand the
concentrated artillery fire. of the Jap
anese. the Neshinsks had to descend.
Its terrible fight cost the regiment more
than half its men and three-fourths of
its officers. The heights will henceforth
be known among the Seventeenth Corps
as ''Neshinsk Hill
II was decided on the night Of Sep
tenber 8 TO abandon Liaoyang. The fol-
lowing QaV all the stores were I6IlONCu
from the forts around the city, from
the Russian settlement and from Lao
wang. and the dead were. buried and
sentries gradually withdrawn. A ter
rible hail OF projectiles was falling in
the city, especially in the Church
Square and around the house where
General Kuropatkin had been living
The evacuation was productive OF
MANY deeds of heroism and self-sac-
rifice. By an oversight sentry at the
commissariat store was not relieved
and remained at his post. A similar
fate almost overlook a little guard of
engineers at a warehouse close to the
Chinese wall, who was not relieved
until the commander of the garrison,
making a final round, ordered them off.
The building had already been set on
fire by japanese shells. The men
marched out, carrying their tools, under
a hail of projectiles.
RETREATING UNDER FIRE.
The evacuation of the railway sta
ton was also carried out under a
heavy fire. The railroad men showed
the most admirable GOODNESS and dis
cipline. There were not enough trains
to carry all the artillery. At the last
moment the First Siberian Flying Ar
tsllery procured an empty truck, upon
which the soldiers loaded their six-inch