The Savannah morning news., 1904-11-04

the machine and qulck-firing guns
belched forth on the intrepid Japan
ese. Twice the latter We're forced back
till the slope was covered with bodies,
but a third attempt was made and a
score of Japanese reached the broken
wall. The terrible fire of the Rus
slams, however, started their retire
ment.
Onicer's- Heroic Sacrifice.
Suddenly a Japanese officer, regard
less of the danger stood up, called out
an order planted his regimental flag
on the wall and was Immediately rid
died with Russian bullets. The effect
on the Japanese of this sacrifice was
instantaneous. The retreating infan-
trymen stopped in their tracks, hesi-
tated and then charged back, fought
like demons, jumped over the wall,
charged the Russians with bayonets
and forced many of them up the gla-
els, over the ramparts and into the
fort
The fact that they had reached the
corner wall on the dead ground en-
abled the Japanese to hold on, though
the entire Russian fire was concen-
trated on that point for six hours. The
japanese were reinforced frcm time to
time by rushes make by their COM
rades up the deathway from the
trenches, and they stubbornly held the
corner wall and a small section of the
Russian trenches until two companies
of another regiment worked through
the trenches and captured the west
Banjusan fort, the magazine Of which
mad been blown up by a shell a short
time before. Later part of the South
heekWan fort was captured.
Peculiar Situation.
The dawn of the 23rd developed a
peculiar position. The assault OF the
previous afternoon had resulted in
piercing the Russian fortified ridge east
of Port Arthur, in the form of a wedge
While the entire line east and west
was still strongly held At daylight
the Russians concentrated their
shrapnel fire on the captured forts and
the japanese south of Keekwan wer.
elected from their positions.
The Banjusan forts were subjected
to an awful fire, but the Japanese in
possession of them continued maklne
bomb-proof trenches on the hills.
There was fierce bombardment all
day.
There was tremendous activity, the
rear lines sending forward ammuni-
tion. The news came in whispers that
a general assault along the whole line
would take place between midnight
eAhA . " NAOIh III llG morning. The
Russians, anticipating an assault.
made a Strong counter attack. The
japanese advance lines were driven
from the forts and were furiously at
tackled by large bodies Of Russians
The Russian move was cleverly
planned and their artillery command
ers were well informed, for they OPEN
ed fire with shrapnel on the advance
or the Japanese supports across the
FuI IaNF fsaa
lights with good effect in the counter
attack on the japanese forces. The
general assault then began and for
twenty minutes the whole Japanese
line was engaged. The left division
from the trenches In front of the
keekwan forts charged the fortified
hills.
Triumph Cut short.
Part Of the advance had gained the
crests and shouted, "Banzaii" when
their triumph was cut short Sudden
ly the two powerful searchlights OF
the east forts lighted up the Japanese
lines, and Russian rifles and machine
guns poured "a deadly hail into the
clearly visible ranks Of the attacking
troops. The japanese were slowly
forced down the slopes to the
trenches below.
vi lhe west Hank the Eearchlights
OF Else and Taiyangkow forts played
along the Japanese trenches, prevent
ing the movement of troops The Jap
anese artillerymen concentrated their
fire on tss zearchllght, shells contin-
ualiy blanketing the lights.
Suddenly the light Of Etse fort dis
appeared and the light Of TalynngkOw
fort followed. The japanese infantry
on the right flank advanced on the
trenches close 10 the Russian lines
when the light was flashed out in the
faces 0f the advancing troops and RuE