The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-27
RUSSIANS ABLE TO
 HOLD POSITION Some Sharp Fighting Near
 kai Chou CASUAL HES AMOUNT 10 49 General kuropatkin Reports Thas Troops RepeIed All Attacks of the Japs and Retained
 Their Position.

St. Petersburg, July 21-A despatch from General Kuropatldn dated July 25 has been received by the emperor.
 "Reconnoisances carried out daily of late between Kiao Chou and Saikhotau showed the summts of the heights north of Kiao Chou to be strongly occupied and fortified At o'clock in the morning oi July 23 the enemy's two divisiosn assum ed the offensive. Along the line of out posts to the south the enemy developed a division of infantry, concentrating his main body towards Datchapu, twelve miles north of Kiao Chou, and his cavalry on our left flank near the railroad.
 His advance was affected slowly and at intervals was accompinied by heavy fire from thirty guns which our real guard batteries successfully answered The Japanese fire at first was directed al the heights which gradually were evacu ated by our outposts. Our sharpshooters with the rear guard opened fire on the ad- vancing Japanese infantry and at ia yorable moment Colonel Lesch withdrew our rear guard to a new position at Dat chapau and our batteries which had sev eral times changed their positions con tinued the duel with the enemy's artillery, also firing into the infantry column
 Begin Forward Movement.
 At about 9:30 o'clock in the morning. the Japanese began a forward movement at first with three battalions from the Tsin Tsakle valley. In this direction our forces occupied a fortified advance posi- ton. Towards 3 In the afternoon, the enemy had upwards of a division of in fantry, and at the same moment columns of considerable strength amounting to brigade of infantry, appeared west of the railroad About 4 o'clock the enemy ceased to advance and extended his main body.
 Towards evening July 23 our troops having left attachments to hold the for tiications bivouacked in the various places assigned to them with the view of a possible rear guard engagement. J
 "Cur losses have not been definitely as1 certained. but according to the advices at hand, they were not considerable.
 At nightfall our advanced outposts reoccupied Tantchi to the southeast. The night passed quietly.
 "On July 21 the Japanese occupied height facing Phkan pass. This interfer- red considerably with our observation outpost service, and consequently on the same day a Russian force occupied ths pass.
 Turned the Left Wing.
 "on the following morning Colonel De- mentieff. commanding detachment. de. termined to occupy the southern slope oi the hill This was done about noon. That afternoon the Japanese attacked and turned our left wing. Then, taking ad- vantage of the formation of the country, they began to turn our right. Other companies of Dementieff's force hastened to his assistance, to which several conn panies were also sent from the nearest points. These troops, as they arrived helped to check the turning operations of the enemy. who finally brought into action, however, as much as a brigade of infantry. with which he pressed our troops and turned both our Hanks.
 Our men, exposed to a terrible fire, retired step by step, but at the same time offering a stubborn resistance to the enc my who ceased to attack at ' o'clock fin the evening of July p, after occupying Phl<an pass.
 our casualties in wounded were Cap- tain Minine and forty-nine men, The number of killed is not yet known.
 FusiIade From outposts.
 "on July 24 the enemy resumed activ. ny on the south front, and a fight began on the left flank with a fusilade from tho outposts near Tauchia For the next twelve hours the enemy maintained neavy and uninterrupted artillery fire, This artillery duel went in our favor, the japanese batteries operating against the Villages to Tiatsiatung and Sautziatze be- ing reduced to silence by D. m.
 Simultaneously with the artillery can nonading. the enemy made vigorous at tack in the direction of Dafang Chena with the object of breaking up the center Of our position. Our troops repelled all at. tacks and we retained our position. Int battle ended at 930 in the evening
 Details of the fighting and of the ex, tent of our losses are not yet ayailaole.'