Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-08-10
DESPERATE
Graphic Description Of Japanese Sol.
diery in Night Attack.

wv
diery in Night Attack.
Mo Tien Pass. M~anchuria, July 5. via
San Francisco. Aug. 6.-"Night fight.
ing is the test of soldiers" remarked
n of the foreign attaches when he
visited the scene of yesterdays bloody
affair, land the japanese certainly
have proved their quality this time"
Probably no incident of the war has
placed the Japanese soldiers in a
more trying situation rnan the night
attack at Mo Tien pass and no where
have they gained a more complete
victory against great disadvantages.
None of the correspondents with the
army heretofore have been permitted
TO witness fighting at closer range
than their view of the crossing of
the Yalu from a safe and comforta.
Bile eminence on the walls of Win.
When correspondents or military
attaches have attempted to get to the
actual scene of the events, their un.
failingly courageous guardians always
have rebuffed them with the explana-
ton that 1t Is very dangerous" that
they are guests of the Japanese gov
eminent and the government Is re-
sponsible for their safety.
On this occasion. however, the cor
respondent of the Associated Press
was able to see the conduct of the
soldiers on the field and their treat
ment Of wounded and captured enc
mics in the heat of the fighting. What
eve reasons of military policy may
render secrecy desirable, there Ger.
tainly Is nothing in the action of its
soldiers that need make the Japanese
government keep spectators to the
rear The treatment of the Russian
victims of the incompetency of their
officers was all that the most enlight-
ened nation could expect.
When the correspondent arrived at
the trenches where less than a CON-
pany of japanese, rushing from their
beds without time to dress, had STAY
ed off the Russian onslaught at first
with bayonets and swords, The Rus
sian dead and wounded still lay where
they had fallen on the wet, grassy
slope.
" htiNN lHt udlI lOuI > NOIh
there had been a evidenced by the
pools of blood in the ditch and red
trails smeared all over the grass and
stones on the hillsides before it.
In this fighting Lieutenant Kono
alone killed several Russians, almost
severing their heads with a single
stroke of his sword. When he exhib-
tied the weapon afterward it's edge
looked like a saw blade. 1t has since
been sharpened for further use.
Although the fight had begun only
three hours before, the Japanese ad-
vance was half a mile down the val.
ley pursuing the Russians, the Japan
csc advance was half a mile down the
valley pursuing the Russians. the ia
panese dead had been moved to a
temple behind the crest of tn hill and
parties Of soldiers from one of the
companies in reserve were going
about the field with trenching spades
burying the dead Russians where they
lay and marking the graves with a
stake or a pile of stones.
The Russians had gone into action
wearing their heavy o~vercoats and
carrying their bags of black bread.
They had dropped both on the field.
Already, while some details were
burying the dead and some caring
for the wounded, others had gather
ed the debris from the field and piles
of coats and c~anteens and 100 rifles
with bayonets attached were stack.
ed on the temple stones.