The National tribune., 1904-07-28
CLOSING AROUND KUROPATKlN.
All Three of the Japanese Armies on the
Russian Front and FlaLks.

The Japanese seem to have taken adj
vantage of the two weeks of good weather
during the rainy season, to press up all
three of their armies much closer about
Gen. Kuropatkn's position. Everywhere
their advances were successful. The Rus
sian outposts were driven back after some
hours of noisy fighting, which resulted in
little loss in men or material on either side.
BY far the most important engagement is
thus fully described in Gen. Kuroki's Off
cial report:
THE column of our troops sent a de
tachnient against body of the enemy
consisting of infantry and cavalry in the
vicinity of Shaotentse, - miles west of
Han-chang. and on July IS the main force
of the column reached the neighborhood of
ShanchurSe. At this time a body of the
enemy of unknown strength was encamped
near Hsihoyed, and since he seemed to be
retiring northward our leading battalion
advanced to reconnOiter. ThereupOn two
battalionS of the enemy with eight guns
engaged us. and a fierce fight ensued. One
company of our battalion lost its COM
mander and all its officers
AT u 80 ID. m. our advance guard and
another battalion joined the fighting line.
but AT sunset the enemy was still holding
the ground. We bvouacked in battle or
der. The enemy made two coHnter-at-
tacks. but were repulsed at every point.
The enemys camp near ShlhOken was ac-
ceSSible by a narrow road only. 1t occu-
pied rising ground 20 to 100 meters in
hight, commanding the approaches for IA
considerable distance. The position was
fortified with definitive work, the left pro-
tected by an unfordable river, and the right
could not be turned except by long de
tour from 1ungmukan over series of
precipitous hills.
AT midnight on the 18th our column
moved out, the artillery taking a position
in the valley in the enemys front A part
moved against the left. while a smaller
force took possession of Laumulling and
held the Panhslu region.
At , a. IN. on the 10Th, the artillery
action began. The enemy had 80 field
guns, and hot duel was carried on until
a. m, when the fire grew less vehement
on both sides. Our troops, facing the
enemy's right, advanced over the steep
ground and reached his position at 3 a. m.
simultaneously an auxiliary force from the
other column arrived in the vicinity.
Our main body now assumed the often
sive, the artillery redoubing its fire, but
the enemys infantry resisted stubbornly,
and a violent conflict ensued. Our forces,
confronting the enemy's right, attacked
strongly, and at > 80 p. m. our main body
eminences southwest of Hsihoyed.
AT the same time our left cut off his
line of retreat, and at 3 p. m. his whole
position was ours. The enemy, who was
commanded by a Lieutenant General, con-
sisted of four battaiions of the 34th Regi-
ment. three battalions of the Seth Regi-
ment, a. regiment of Cossacks, and 30 field
guns. His main body retreated in disorder
to Amping. One portion fed north.
Our casualties were 81 killed, includ-
ing one officer. and 800 wounded, including
Is officers. The number of the enemy s
casualties is uncertain, but at 10 a. m. on
the Goth we had buried 40. We took Al
prisoners, including two officers. Accord
ing to the prisoners and others, the losses
of the enemy were more than / 900.
a force was dispatched on the 10Th and
attacked the enemy in an intrenched posi-
ton five miles south of Shaotse. The
enemy consisted of one battalion of in
fantry and 1000 cavalry. After a four
hours fight We drove them back along the
right bank of the Taits River. Our losses
were IL killed and wounded
During the Goth we buried 131 of the
enemy and took three ammunition wag-
ons, 300 rifles, and other articles. The
enemy carried off more than 1000 killed
and wounded"
An analysis of this shows that the Rus
slams. commanded by Lieutenant-General,