The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-10


1t was marvellous how the Russians
were able to strengthen their lines of
defense at the points of attack.
Another attempt was made to pierce
the principal line of Notifications sur
rounding the rear of the eastern part
of Panlung mountain, where, after four
furious attempts, a small body of Japa-
nese succeeded in getting through the
wall and in establishing themselves on
the lower slopes of Wantai hill Inc
Russians rushed the supports with ma
chine guns from the upper slopes OF the
Wantai hill forts and the small party
of Japanese was practically annihilated
The most desperate fighting took place
at this point.
The last effort of the assaulters was
made at midnight, assisted by artillery,
which covered the slopes of Wanta1
hill with an avalanche of Shells Ihe
Russians fought with tremendous
courage, engaging the japanese with
bayonetS and grenadeS When they
came to close quarters. The Japanese
finally esta blished a trench line hVe
yards in front of the line OF fortlnca-
lions, which they now occupy. me
forces are engaged in throwing oynd-
mite grenades at each other.
In the first assault against the Tort
on the eastern part of Rihlung noun
tain the Japanese were unable TO gam
a foothold, though their artillery made
the interior forts a cauldron of burst
ing shells. A strong force of japanese
worked up from the parallels In the
gorge between the fort hill and Hach1-
makijma, and entrenched on the hill
in an effort to assist the assaulters of
the fort, who were attacking 1T from
thu rear, and met with a terrible hre
from the outer works and with Shrap-
mel from a ridge in the rear. A small
party of Japanese gained a roadway
leading to the rear of the fort but
was forced to retire.
The attempts which were first made
to rush the western part of Rihlung
officially ShunRShu
mountain, also ended in failure. The
Japanese reached the parapets from
the moat, but fed as fast as they came
from the fire within the fort. The
walls were black with the asSaulters,
who were deluged with shells from the
fort on Antse mountain across the
gorge of the ShuiShi valley between
the two fortified ridges and from a
fort Immediately in the rear called the
Supporting fort of Shungshu noun
tain.
At 8 o'clock at night a force of 1000
volunteers from the right division, led
by a general, started from a point
southwest of Shuishi village, pushed
up the gorge between the two fortified
ridges, and attacked the supporting
fort of Shungshu mountain, which is
short distance outside the western
confines of Port Arthur, with the in
tentiOn of enveloping the city from
the west, and also for the purpose of
assisting the assaulters of the two
reached the fort hill and engaged a
strong force of Russians upon its slope
in handto-hand encounter, which
lasted for two hours.
At the same time the Japanese
assaulting the east and west RfhIung
forts made desperate attempts to rush
the interior of the forts. They gained
the ramparts, inside which they estab-
liShed trench lines.
The interior defenses of both forts
are the same as those on North Kek-
wan mountain, but the east Rihlung
fort is the largest and strongest of the
levels. The lower levels were the
scene of the most awful struggle.
which lasted from 10 o'clock until
midnight Under cover of darkness
the Japanese poured over the ram
parts and attacked the first section of
bomb-proofs. The defenders received
them with bayonets and dynamite
grenades, while the machine guns on
the upper levels poured a deadly hail
into the ranks of the Japanese.
The struggle was absolutely hand
to-hand. The defenders of the greater
part of the bomb-prOofs on the lower
levels of the fort were annihilated and
the sections and crOSS-SectiOnS of the
bomb-proofs were piled with corpses.
The Japanese gained practically the
whole of the lower section of the fort
guns and rifles when they attempted
to assault the higher levels
For an hour before midnight the
Japanese artillery shelled the higher
levels while the Russian guns shelled
the lower levels.
similar struggle was going on all
the time in the west Rihlung fort,
where the arrangement of defenses
was the same.
AT IL o'clock a desperate effort was
made by the Japanese to push a force
up the gorge between the east RihIung
fort and Hachimakijima to assist the
aSSaulterS against the supporting force
of SungShu mountain, but again and
again the force was repulsed by the
Russians behind the works and by the
guns on the ridge behind the forts.
At midnight the column attacking the
supporting fort of Sungshu mountain
was compelled to retire, having lost
half the force.
The struggle in the two forts was
continued until dawn when the assault
ers were compelled to retire to the
trenches established inside the parapet
walls which they now occupy.
The fighting of the afternoon and
night was the most desperate and
sanguinary since the siege began. The
opposing forces were so close together
that only the fort walls or a few yards
of level ground separated them. The
struggle from start to finish was at
close quarters with bayonets and gren-
AIDES and rifles used as clubs. The
ferocity of the attacking Japanese was
equaled by the defending Russians, who
died at their posts everywhere fighting
till their last breath
At daylight on November q quiet
reigned and the silence during the day
was broken only by occasional cannon
and deSultory rifle fire at points along
the fortified ridge, where the forces
were far enough apart to use their
rifles.
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