The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-31
DESTRUCTION OF THE WIRES.
But for This the Mines Would Have
Decimated the Japanese.
(By the Associated Press. }

Toxic, May 2S.-The Japanese as
sault on Nanshan Hill was one of the
fiercest affairs in modern warfare.
In the earlier rushes of the engage
ment every man participating was
shot down before he reached the first
line of Russian trenches 1t was found
necessary to stop these infantry
charges and renew the artillery fire
from the rear before the final ana
successful assault on the Russian po-
Sition can be made. The success or
this assault was brought about by
one detachment of Japanese troops,
more intrepid than their comrades,
who succeeded in piercing the Rus
sian line. A splendid stroke of for
tune was the discovery and destruc-
ton by the Japanese of the electric
wires leading to the mines at the east
ern foot of the Nanshan Hill. This pre-
vented the Russians from exploding
these mines when the Japanese in
fantry crossed the ground where they
had been placed.
Hinged on the Mines.
1t is possible that the fortune OF
the day hinged upon these mines. Ii
the Russians had been able to explode
them at the right time the losses
among the Japanese troops would
have been tremendous, and it is posi-
been able TO hold the hill. Nanshan
Hill was splendidly defended. Near
ly fifty guns of various sizes were
mounted on the various emplacements
and there were also two batteries of
quick firing field pieces. The artii-
lery was sheltered behind loop-noles
trenched on the terrace of the hill.
The infantry manning the field pieces
ran With them around the hill, thus
using these guns for the protection of
the most important points.
The Japanese began the fight by
bringing all their. field guns into ac-
ton and concentrating their fire on
the emplacementS on the hills. by Il
o'clock in the morning the principal
Russian batteries had been silenfed.
The two Russian field batteries then
withdrew 20 Nanquan Lang hill and
from there continued to fire on the
Japanese until nightfall.
Where Men Fell Like Leaves
After the Russian batteries had been
silenced the Japanese artillery opened
on the enemys trenches, the Japanese
infantry - advancing meanwhile to
within rifle range, The Japanese grad
ually worked to within 400 metres OF
the Russian lines, where they encoun-
tered wire and other ENGAGEMENTS.
They succeeded in discovering an
opening in these obstacles and getting
finally to within 200 metres of the
Russian trenches they rushed for the
line Several successive charges were
made but every officer and man in
the attacking parties was shot down,
twenty or thirty metres from the line.
The charges were then stopped ana
the Japanese artillery renewed it's pre-
paratory fire on the enemyS position.
Towards evening a detachment of Jap
anese carried a section of the Russian
trenches breaking through the enc
my's line. Hundreds of the comrades
of these men, inspired by their sue
cess, sprang forward and then the en-
tire Japanese lines swept up the hill
driving the Russians from their posi-
lions. 1t was in the desperate infan-
try charges that the Japanese sus-
tanned the bulk of their losses.