The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-12
ON THE RUN.
Continued from First Page.)

/ -
ever, and returned to Kai Chou,
bringing many wounded.
| On the morning OF July our
scouts reported that a strong Japa-
nese force was taking UP a position in
| the hills to the southeast
On July Z Eckhardt, with small
| detachment of mounted volunteers,
made a bold and rapid sweep through
| and around the Japanese lines and
| returned with exact information as
/ to the disposition of the enemy Eek
hardt penetrated clear to Senuchen,
and found two divisions moving in
/ three columns in three parallel val
| leys toward our flank. The main Jap
anese force bivouacked at Vafangow.
| Early in the morning of July the
hills to the southwark and eastward
| of kai Chou were apparently desert
ed, but we were aware that the Jap
anese were ready to spring. We had
destroyed the railway bridge south of
the town and had a strong line of rifle
pits along the bank of the river. 1t
was a brilliant morning. The Japa-
nese began to advance from the de-
| files where they were concealed, and
| taking cover behind the thick trees
and in the gardens south of the river
kept their batteries on the hilltops
carefully masked. While the Japa-
nese crept forward 100 yards, keeping
up a fierce exchange with our rifle
men, another column started to work
around our left through a deep val
ley The sound of heavy rifle fire at
the railway station told US that the
column had struck our outposts. Then
our battery behind the station opened
fire and the advance in that direction
was checked.
We had a squadron of cavalry and
a battalion of infantry across the
river. and through the golden haze we
could just see them maneuvering to
meet the Japanese column, which
they engaged fiercely. The Japanese
finally rolled back.
In the meantime the Japanese cav
airy at the extreme west tried to creep
around the shore of the Gulf of Lao
Tung, but our batteries headed off the
cavalrymen and drove them into
Conasun. By noon the advance was
checked at all points, though growing
numbers of japanese were seen gath
ering in the hills and their batteries
threw in an occasional shot.
Both sides held their respective po-
sitions through the warm, starlit
night. Japanese reserves were hur-
ried up concentrating for a morning
attack, but we had held out as long
as advisable in the face of the grow
ing number of the enemy, and quietly
prepared to evacuate.
The Japanese advance commenced
at dawn, at first quietly and cautious
~, and then with a rush thirty-f1ve in
fantry companies hurled themselves
across the river. They must have
been surprised to find themselves I'M
opposed and greeted only by the
had set on fire before retiring.
Our batteries had got away long
before the arrival of the Japanese and
were in position north of the town.
from which they greeted the japanese
with hail of shrapnel as they start
ed to follow our retreat.
Ihe entire day was marked by a
long series of artillery duels. The en-
emy'S front covered the plain on both
sides of the road and the defiles in
the eastern hills. Wherever an ad-
vance movement appeared it was
greeted by the bark of a quick-fre
gun and the drumming of the ma
chine guns.
There was little rifle fire. The Rus
sian main column was already pro-
ceeding north, a few cossacks hover
ing in the rear. supporting the bat
teries.
At noon the japanese artillery ar
rived and engaged the cossacks on
horseback. The Russians made no at
tempt to seriously contest the ground
but retired to a fresh position, at the
same time worrying the enemy.
The whole of our artillery. remain
ing in the rear and covering the in
rantry retreat at Pin Tsan allowed
the japanese to come up and then
shelIed them. Again the fight deveI-
oped with some warmth, while the
japanese brought up fresh batteries
with which they pounded the village
General Stakelberg hung on until
late in the afternoon. We heard his
guns growing behind us as the col
umn moved north. Quiet then en-
SUED and the march was continued
unlnterruptedly to Ia Tche Kfao.
There has just been captured here
a japanese who from his attire seems
10 De bank clerk. He speaks Rus