The San Francisco call., 1904-09-09
DEAD PILED
IN HEAPS ON
THE FIELD
Liza oyang Slaughte r
Greatest Since
Civil War.
Thousands Fall in
Each Charge by
japanese.


respondent with the japanese left army
SENDS a long narrative OF the battle OF
Liacyang. Describing the operations OF
September /. he says:
The general impression was that We
had only 10 advance and occupy the
town. but Generals NodZu's and Oku's
armies required a days rest. In hfty
hours Oku had made four general as
sauIts. which had failed, and we had
subsisted through the inclement wealth
er on rations carried on the person,
while reserve ammunition required re-
plenishing.
The Russians had fallen back in
good order. taking with them every
thing except some 200 Of their latest
dead. while the only prisoners 10 fall
into the hands OF the japanese were
seven men who were entombed in an
observation mine casemate on brush
covered hill. A japanese storming
party had piled sandbags over the edi-
fee OF the casemate. II was an extra
ordinary incident. for the entombed
Russians had shot two officers who
wished 10 parley with them and
eventually surrendered thirty-six hours
later, in horrible state.
i Will not dwell upon the sickening
and narrowing sights of the battle
held. except 70 mention one incident:
The JaDanese stormers had penetrated
the highest trench and had Overpow-
cred the Cossacks holding it, but Rus
SLAMS from a splinter-proo shelter be-
hind had fallen with their bayonets on
the gallant japanese in the moment OF
their success and the bodies Of both
japanese and Cossscks were piled thick
upon each other in a hideous heap.
ENORMOUS CASUALTIES.
The casualties Of the japanese in
Eve divisions. at the lowest compila-
ton. were not less than 10000 and
there were probably many more, for.
owing 10 the crops Of millet- many OF
the wounded have not been found and
they must have died miserabIy, while
many bodies will never be found until
the crops are cut
1t is impossible TO estimate the
Russian losses. which probably were
half those of the japanese II must
be remembered that my estimate OF
the latter does not include the Tenth
Division of Kurokrs army"
The correspondent refers TO one Of
Oku's artillery attacks as one of the
most severe concentrated artillery
fires the world has ever seen. Every
gun belonging 10 two Of the japanese
corps was trained in rapid fire on the
left OF Kuropatkins position. The
correspondent says:
1t was a magnificent and withal
an awe-inspiring spectacle. The Rus
sian go-dOwns were set on fire, as were
the station buildings. and nothing
could live under the attack. The end
Of the Russian resistance had come.
and the japanese gunners rested from
the devastation and slaughter, when
suddenly. out Of the midst Of the
smoke and murky dust left from the
reeking shrapnel, came counter flashes
from two or three Russian batteries.
One was almost inclined 10 cheer, but
il seemed that IL was their last ef-
fort-a magnificent farewell 10 the
enemy whom they had baked for SO
long.
We had evidence that Liaoyang
would be abandoned. but il seemed
certain that. though defeated and
forced by superior numbers and su-
perior artillery. and 10 some extent by
superior troops, Kuropatxin had in
turn defeated japanese strategy. for.
as far as We could learn or judge by
the direction Of the fire, Kuroh was
still fighting 10 get astride the Rus
sian communications
LIAOYANG CAPTURED.
That evening the remaining Rus
slams in the trenches still kept the
japanese al bay. but the iron-minded
Oku. little reckoning that his fierce
assaults had already cost close upon
%. 900 men. determined upon a final
enveloping on this stubborn rear guard.
The last reserves were pushed in and
at 3 o'clock in the morning, after five
days OF the most severe fighting the
world has seen since the American
Civil War. the japanese army seized
the railway bridge and was in occupa-
tien of Liaoyang."
The correspondent adds:
NO resource known to modern en-
gineering for field work had been over
/ looked. II was evident at the outset
that Oku's previous successes had
caused him TO despise the staying pow
, ers Of the enemy. for without waiting
for adequate preparations he pushed
I his infantry down 10 the limit Of the
standing crops. which had not come
under the Russians precautionary
! sickles.
The Russian tactics al Liaoyang
were a revelation. for which Oku had e
pay dearly"
J Describing the failure of some Of the
japanese infantry attacks. the CORE
; spondent says:
The japanese art of war counsels
persistence and they have material
that can be persistent. Despite the
failure OF the first attack on the 30th
the cold gray OF the morning wit
messed another scene of slaughter or
/ the Russian right as the defend
+. ers again hurled back the attack. The
: japanese deserved success, but an en-
] fiading fire swept each rush before
! the men could even lay hands on the
! entsnglements-"
OKU ORDERS THIRD ASSAULT.
4