The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-06-22

ors of the Hatachi had drifted north
to Shimonoseki and been saved.
The transport Izumi is still missing.
ESTIMATE OF THE LOSSES.
Toxic, June 16, 8 p. MT is report
ed that the transports Hitachi and
Sado carried only 1,400 men. If this
is true, the loss in lives is probably
less than 1000.
The transports, however, had many
horses and large quantities of supplies
on board.
SsLiao Yang, June 1.-THE correspond
ent of the Associated Press who was
present at the battle of Wafangow de-
scribed the fighting as follosw:
f'The stern, dogged fighting at the
battle of Vafangow was like another
Borodino. The roar of the machine
guns and the boom of the cannon still
| ring in ones ears.
Throughout the three days of COM
bat the officers and men We'd with each
other in pluck and heroism. They
have added a glorious page to Russia's
military history.
'sThe enemy's advance originally in
cluded the fifth, eighth and eleventh
divisions, IL squadrons of cavalry and
splendid artillery. About 200 guns
were belching continuous streams of
shot and shell. Large reenforcemnets
enabled them to turn the Russian
flank: A diversion on the right pre-
cipitated the battle in the morning of
June Is.
'1Maj. Gen. Gerngross, who was
| wounded, commanded the left flank,
ands Gen. Loutchkovsky commanded
thhs centre, including four battalions
concealed in small wood, whence
they dealt death ano destruction on
the enemy.
"The Russian right was protected
by Cossacks, dragons and Siberian
| rifles.
"WhiIe the big guns were thunder
| ing | made my way at about II a. m.,
to the Russian right flank and climb
ed hill whence I could view the
| whole field of battle. Behind me a
batteryS had taken up position from
which. 1t kept up continuous fire
upon the advancing ranks Of the enc
| my. Through glasses I could see the
| ndyEValley os the Trissa with the
Chinese village of Fafan. The
| heights of Foo Chou, the railroad
bridge and the surrounding slopes
were occupied by japanese infantry.
Then black lines OF infantry like
| threads, could be seen creeping through
the verdure. Nearer the slope of a
hill was dotted by the gray shirts of
Russian rifemen A brownish smoke
overhung some of the batteries and
| others showed flashes of flame. The
crackle of rifle fire was ponctuated by
the roar of guns. Occasionally I heard
the hiss of japanese bullet.
''TEe scene was awe-inspirlng :.
Over the Russian centre and left flank
hovered chocolate clouds from bursting
shrapnel. 1t was evident that the tide
of battle was coming toward the Rus
sian right. [ saw reserves hurrying
forward, the Cossacks galloping, fol-
| lowed by columns of infantry at the
double. Suddenly they disappeared
in al adjacent defile. The valley
where the Russians had camped was
emptled as if by magic. Rattling vol
| leys were fired behind the screen of
hills which concealed the fighting
troops from view in that direction,
the sound Of the firing being the only
evidence of the deadly struggle pro-
| ceeding there. This continued for half
an hour. Suddenly a company of
Cossacks appeared on the crest of a
bill and began to descend. They we're
followed by inafntry. The japanese
gunners promptly pursued them with
shrapnel Horses and men began fall
| ing.
GA moment of narrowing suspense
was relieved by thunderous shout of
'hurrah. It was from a couple of
thousand Russian troops just brought
up BY train. They quickly jumped
from the cars, fixed bayonets and lit
orally ran into the fight.
"Again the crackle of musketry
under cover, during which the retir-
ing Russian regiments formed up and
moved off in complete order toward
the railroad. While long line Of
commissariat wagons, escorted by
Cossacks, took to the road a battery
of horse artillery stationed near the
railroad banged away furiously as it
covered the retreat. The japanese
shells were then falling on the station
buildings, from which train after
train had moved
"I descended the hill and just sue
ceeded in jumping on the foot board
of the last car. Some of the Russian
batteries on the left flank were still
firing. The main force then began
slowly to retreat towards Vantsialin
80 miles north of Vafangow) and at
about in the afternoon had accom-
plished its strategic mission. The
battle of Vafangow had DETECTED con-
siderable Japanese forces from Port
Arthur.''