Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-10-28

major in front of his men. Many fel!
Bullets came not only from rifles OF
the crest, but from the air. where
shrapnel We're sending down douches
of lead ball. Presently there were
hills of men to be trampled over The
untouched soldiers, eyes fixed higL
ahead thinking raptly and singly of
storming to the top, charged on
Sword bayOnets were fixed to rifles
and cleaned in the sun.
The first battalion reached the top.
Its bayonets "coIlided with those of
the enemy" The major cut down
three Russians with his own samurai
blade. Cold steel was used freely and
fiercely. 1t won tlr0 trenches for the
Japanese. They had now the most
useful hill. strategically, in the chain
of defense. The Russians could not
hold on. Flags of the Rising Sun were
planted on top. Then Russian batteries
opened while yet the japanese Were
shouting, "Banzair'
"Balls fell like halls"
1t is a crucial moment when infantry
arrive at what. they have charged
upon. From mounting height they
are out of breath, they are hot. wild;
they are dizzy with fast coursing blood.
Before they had gathered themselves
together "a paramount (overwhelming)
force of Russian infantry" drove
against the Japanese. 1t dislodged
them and sent them out of the trenches
IN their RSs' ~ ,,JWn the
)pe There hills OF dead men" were
ed up.
The major, fighting on the edge OF
,!e trench till the last, had received
i've wounds. a bullet had hit his
sword hilt guard and glanced into his
right arm. There We're two in his
thighs. There was one in his aldo
men. A bit of shell struck him in the
lower part of the back and he fell.
Seeing him fall Corporal Seiichi Uchi-
da lifted him, carried him swiftly
down to ditch and nursed him. The
major asked how his men We're doing
He kept the corporal observing and
describing the fight. Finally las our
soldiers We're becoming fewer the cor
poral had to leave to take his own
part. The conflict slackening, he lea
the major out of the ditch and farther
away. They became a target. Frag,
ments of a shell struck both, the ma iOi
in the breast, his comrade in the breast
and in the left hand.
They tainted together. When the
corporal recovered he saw that the hill
had been taken from the Japanese. On
all fours, through millet stubble, he
proceeded to convey the major to safe
ty One of the ''concave places which
the reconnoitrerS had dug with their
sword bayonets and finger nails be
fore was found. There the corporal
crouched between his commander and
the dangerous direction, looking for Il
chance to escape.
The major knew he was dying. He
had been chamberlain to the crown
prince of japan, and Aug. 81 he re
called was the princes birthday. HE
repeatedly spoke of the honor he had
in dying on such day" About sun
set he fell asleep. He did not wake
again, and the corporal waited by the
body that was bleeding at seven
wounds till after nightfall. Then some
Japanese soldiers came near, preparing
for the charges which that night were
destined to be successful, and the dead
major was borne to division headquar-
ters.
He had been one of the very few
between whom and the Americans that
secret and insurmountable barrier
which incomprehensible nature sets up
between two races had been made to
disappear by kind act.
| must indicate that which in his
death and in the spirit of the faithful
corporal was typically japanese.
'You see," remarked the officer who
brought us the report of the corporal,
"the major died without mentioning
wife or children, father or mother"
YES" we answered.
HE spoke only of his service with
the emperors family and the pleasure
he had in dying on the birthday of the
crown prince"
AS for the corporal. his own letter
accompanying the report will exhibit
his self conscious element in his deyo-
ton:
had made up my mind to have honor"
able death in battle. | fought very wcll
that day (Aug. 80, and two shots hit me
One passed through my overcoat, and the
other passed through my knapsack Alas!
NV resolution to die could not be carried
out On the night of Aug. 30 we-the
major and I--had been in the ditch till
the peep Of day, partaking army biscuit.
Next day, before l had a chance to
have the honorable. heroic death on the
field, our commander was hurt, and it
was my fate to take care Of him. He
has died just as he determined to die. but