New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-12

Of mountain guns, led the attack upon this pre-
cipitous position. The artillery of the advance
guard, cleverly placed on the further slopes,
was Immediately able to silence the Russian
Held guns posted upon Kinshan. and the regi-
ment charged the mountain The true weak
ness of the position at became apparent;
there not sufficient ground space upon the
summit Of the mountain to afford footing for
force sufficiently strong to defend it, such troops
as were concentrated there were fatally exposed
to the Japanese shrapnel fire. the Russian guns
were silenced, and the chief obstacles in the way
OF the regiment We're few mines. which
ploded harmlessly, and the great powders
which the Russians rolled down from the sum-
nit. But the very steepness OF the ascent de-
layed the final onslaught; the Japanese seized
the constant opportunities both for rest and
cover offered at frequent intervals for the tracts
Of territory upon the higher slopes not within
the zone Of fire from the summit are considera-
ble-another fault of the position. And at $50
D. m. with the loss of less than 200 casualties
the regiment drove the Russians from Kinshan.
During the engagement a Russian fotilla of
shallow draught gunboats. assisted by torpedo
craft. attempted to shell the Japanese advance.
but upon the appearance OF a superior japanese
feet, they were obliged to retire. The victory
left the division in possession of Kinshan and
also Of two field guns; they had reversed
the positions of the day before for the Russians
could no longer note developments at Dalny,
while the japanese could observe Stoessers
movements in the direction of Port Arthur The
Russian losses were uncertain, but probably did
not exceed one hundred casualties.
On July General StoesseI decided that Kin
shan a position OF such Importance that it
must be recaptured at all hazards and called
upon volunteers for that purpose At l o'clock
IN the afternoon Of that day the Russian patrols
IN front Of the japanese division became active
and twelve guns-four field pieces and eight
mountain guns-shelled the Japanese position
necessarily. Protected by the fire of this ar
tilIery. three Russian battaIions advanced to
the attack, but met with such stubborn resist
ance that they were obliged to retire under fire
Of the japanese machine guns Two more in
fantry battalions then renewed the assault upon
the Japanese left wing supported by four field
pieces but these guns were silenced and the
infantry, with the exception Of one company
Withdrew This company succeeded in gaining
the cover Of a small tract of territory sheltered
from the Japanese artillery fire and remained
there until nightfaIl. At $50 in the evening a
Russian battalion deployed for attack upon the
left flank Of the Japanese, evidently to reinforce
the company which had maintained its foothold;
1t was strongly supported in the rear. it's ma
chine guns were carried in the advanced line
and the nassed military bands of each Russian
regiment began TO play 1t moved forward.
And, as the music rose, the battalion charged
the japanese position It a gallant assault,
but the enemy were not to be dislodged; a jap
anese brigade repuIsed it, and the troops on both
sides biyouaeked in battle formation.
That night-July 3-was exceedingly foggy
From the japanese lines not a movement could
be discerned scouting was Ineffective, the Off
GERS IN command knew no more of the eneny's
movements than the soldiers in the trenches.
And suddenly the Russians. creeping up in per-
feet silence over ground where silence seems
impossible, attacked along the whole line. And
for the first time the japanese infantry tasted
the fighting which the Russians love the best
the sensation Of personal combat. From the
very beginning the battle was at close quar-
ters hand TO hand, and men were killed by bayo-
nets. and Russian and Japanese. locked together,
rolled down the sheer face Of the crag to certain
death. Few orders were given, fewer still
obeyed, II was struggle between man and man
which left the general almost as powerless as
the last recruit. But the Japanese infantry held
last and before morning dawned the Russians
retired from the battle.
But the Russians had not yet resigned all hope
Of retaking Kinshan On July 4 four field
pieces near the mountain pass Anshire Chinese
Antsuling), directly west of Kinshan shelled the
japanese position and later in the morning two
battalions, supported by six mountain guns de-
ployed for attack upon the japanese right flank
II was still bad weather. with a drizzIing rain
and damp mist and this force advanced in the
fog TO within three hundred and fifty yards Of
the Japanese lines. But it no day for a battle
The Russian artillery was ineffective; they could
not determine the strength of the force attacked,
and after a brief engagement they withdrew
AT noon the weather cleared for a few moments
The Japanese right flank discovered that the
Russian Fourth Division, almost complete, con-
fronted them, with two regiments in advance
one 10 the rear and three more battalions on the
right OF their own position. Now the Japanese
acre holding a line of such extent that there
were few available reserves. and, therefore re-
garded the possibility of a strong Russian at
tack with extreme apprehension but fortunately
for them the rain increased again and the Rus
SLAMS made further advance. When night
fell they made one last futile attack which was
easily repealed, and, having sustained heavy
losses without accomplishing their object, they
retired on the morning of July 3. The casualties
OF the Russians during the attempt to recapture
Kinskan were estimated about 500. The
Japanese casualties were 800, and owing to these
losses the Russians resigned all intention of
risking another battle and occupied the second
line Of their defensive position.
II is difficult to understand, especially in
view of his later operations, why General
stoessel after permitting himself to be so easily
driven from Kinshan. should have made such
desperate attempts to recapture it. The solu-
the value Of Kinshan until he had lost it, but