New-York tribune., 1904-09-14

cut the entanglements after terrible slaughter,
one detachment losing seventy seven out OF
eighty men
The men of Nagoya the flower Of the second
army were assigned to charge this hill. They
took the first trenches with a rush In the
second trench they met the enemy in hand
to hand fight. and went or TO the top Of the
hill treading on their own dead The trench
at the crest Of the hill was taken after another
hand TO hand fight the Russians being driven
out at the point of the oayonet and with
dubbed guns Thousands were killed IN this
charge, and the trenches were filed with the
mingled bodies Of japanese and Russians IN
many cases attackers and defenders we're
found dead, clutched in each Others arms
Probably no moro desperate charge was ever
made The position apparently was unassalla-
asslhst twenty The taking OF This hill ended
me defence of this line of positions, the Rus
At daylight on September | the japanese flag
hoated over all tho hills and the Russians had
Hetired IN good order toward Liao-YaIS.
In the meanFtime the japanese left had tried
, hankins movements around the hills The Rus
sian forces stretched along the railroad embank
! n1ent put up a strong defence hoIGfng the jap
anese steadily II was believed that after the
defeat in the hills the Russians retreated to
the north through the city. but the outcome
showed that the hills only the first line of
detenCes Of Liao-Yang. AS the japanese left
advanced on the night of September > IL dis
covered strong Russian position on the plain.
ana al the same time II was learned that these
defences ran across the plain for ssvera! miles.
The left charged. but was driven back with
heavy losses
STAND MADE UNDER TOWNS WALLS
II the mean While the Japanese centre and
right had moved forward and a general charge
was ordered A. sunset. The japanese guns
bombarded the Russian defAnces for one hour
before the sun went down. and Their the infantry
charged The left was successful ir driving the
Russians out of their position but the right and
centre did not achieve their aims. They forced
the Russians. howeve-. 10 retire 70 the defences
close to the walls of Lao Yang Here another
desperate stand was made. the japanese pour
ing shell and shrap pnel into the Russian position
all day of September 2. while the Russian bat
teries replied 10 this shot for shot. The Rus
sian artillery vas in exceedingly we'll built en-
placements. which afforded complete protection.
shortly after noon of September 3 II was
seen that the Russians had begun TO burn the
city. Great piles OF stores near the railroad
were set on fire and many buildings were de-
stroyed. From behind the smoke OF the burn
ing buildings a constant fire was kept UP from
/ the batteries near the railroad.
on the right the Russians manned the walls
/ Of the old Chinese city. The ia panese ConSe-
quentIy directed their artillery fire against these
walls and $50 were wounded A result The
japanese gun fire also did much damage 10 the
Russian troops who were intrenched at the
railroad station.
During the night OF September 5 the last OF
the Russian forces withdrew from Liao-Yang
and early in the morning Of the 4th the Japan
csc occupied the town.
The fighting Of these five days vas the hard
est OF the war The Russian positions in the
. hills south Of Lao Yang were stronger than
/ those a. Nan-Shan and more Stubbornly de-
/ fendeQ- wait OF a few DAYS would have al
lowed the japanese 70 outfank these positions
with comparatively small losses but the des-
peratS straits OF the fourth and first japanese
armies 70 the north required that the Russian
. FORCES facing the second army. under General
. Oku. be disposed of instantly in order 70 pre-
vent the sending Of retnforcenents TO the Rus
SLAMS opposing the other Japanese armies
STRENGTH OF THE RUSSIAN DEFENCEs
The RUSSIA position on The plain was scored
with trenches and fortihcations. A. one point
the trenches occupied by the Russians were per-
manen- works of immense strength capable OF
protecting entire brigade and absolutely uu-
assaLahle II was only by forcing back the
Eussian right by a desperate rush that the Jap
arcse We're able 70 make the Russians retire
from this most excellent position. Fully FIVE
miles Of covered and connecting trenches gave
tho Russians an opportunity 70 retire 70 the
city with htt}- loss The gun position the
Ilain was elaborately protected. There
portable railroad from the city 20 the outer
trenches. for the transportation of ammunition
and supplies.
Tn" japanese losses in the second and fourth
armies nave not been reported but II is proha-
hle that in killed and wounded hey will ex-
coed lo.otp men. II is believed that the Russian
losses in the nils. on the plain and in the town
were not less than those Of the japanese Only
a few II the Russian dead and wounded were
seen leaving Liao-Yans for the north The en-
tire Russian force engaged ar Lao Yang Is he
lie, 81 q have exceeded 10000 men.