The Topeka state journal., 1904-05-02
japanese Force the Enemy 10
Evacuate An Tung.
Are Now Firmly Established on
Manchurian Soil.
RUSSIANS RETREAT.
After a Loss of 500 Mem and
Much Artillery.
Japanese Report a Loss Of 200
Men.
FIVE DAYS FIGHTING.
Russians Charge Defeat to
Enemy's Superior Artillery.
Japanese GunbOats Engage
Russian Shore Batteries.

Toxic, May 2.-The Russians were
forced to abandon Antung yesterday.
They burned the town and retreatsd
to Huan Cheng.
The japanese now control the estu-
ary Of the Yalu.
A supplemental report from Cen
eral Kuroki, covering Sundays fight
ing. says:
"The Russians made two stands.
The enemy's strength included all OF
the Third division, two regiments OF
the Sixth division. one cavalry bril-
gade, about forty quick-fring guns
and eight machine guns
1--WE have taken twenty-eight quick
firing guns. many rifles, much ammu-
milton, more than twenty officers and
many non-commissioned officers and
men as prisoners
s'I am informed that Generals Zazo-
Itch and Castolinski were wounded.
'tOur casualties number about 700,
and the Russian loss is more than 500
men"
Five Days Fighting.
Toxic, May AFTER five days OF
lighting, largely with artillery, the
first Japanese army, under General
kuroki. has forced a crossing of the
Yalu river, and today, with a gallant
infantry charge, covering frontage
Of four miles, 1t drove the Russians
from Chiu Tien Cheng and the heights
river, which enters the Yalu from the
north almost opposite Wiiu. The Jap
anese turned the left flank Of the Rus
sian position, and swept away the new
front interpOsed by the Russians to
check their onward movement
The present position Of the Japa-
nese is a dominating one, and they
may force the abandonment Of the
defenses erected by the Russians
lower down the river.
General Kurokf began the move
tachment Of the imperial guards iiFi-
sion to seize the island of kurfto,
which is in the Yalu above Wi1u, and
a detachment of the Second division
to seize the island Of Kinteitos which
is situated below Wiju- The detach-
ment of the imperial guards met with
some resistance. but succeeded in
clearing the enemy out and occupied
Kurito island. The Russians ahan-
doned the island of Kinteito when ct
tackled by the detachment of the Sec
ond division
The actual losses sustained by the
detachment of the imperial guards are
not known. as there is an error in
that part of the message receiyed
here referring to the number killed,
but nine of the detachment We're Sc
verely and sixteen were slightly
wounded The detachment of the
Second division which took the island
of KinteitO sustained no losses.
Win SheIled by Russians.
1JuElnE InESE movements on L1Ee Is
lands, the Russians opened fire on the
japanese with eight 9 Z centimeter
guns from a hill behind Chiu Tien
Cheng and two Hotchkiss guns which
were mounted on the bank of the
river at Kosan. where the Russians
seemed to have established their head
quarters. One battery of japanese
artillery which had taken a position
on a hill to the east of Wiju fired
three volleys at Kosan. and at noon
Of Tuesday the Russian batteries be-
hind Chiu Tien Cheng shelled Win,
wounding one Japanese soldier with
shrapne1. On Wednesday the Rus
slams resumed the bombardment Of
Win, firing at intervals throughout.
the day. The japanese artillery did
not respond to this fire.
Japs Sent to Reconnoiter.
The Russians resumed their bonn
bardment on Thursday, but ii was
generally ineffective Subsequently,
General Kuroki ordered two com
panies of the imperial guards to cross
the YaIu and make a reconnaissance
along the left bank of the Tho for the
purpose of discovering the character
of the Russian fortificatiOns along the
heights on the right bank Of the river.
The Japanese force advanced toward
Kcsan. and then dispatched a small
detachment to the village, where a
party of Russians was encountered.
In the engagement five Russians were
killed The Russians shelled the re-
connoitering party from an emplace-
rnent IN the nils IN the southeastern
part of YoshOkO- This fire was with
out effect
The Russian artillery on the hill
behind Chiu Tien Cheng. firing at a
high angle. opened on Win. the is
land Of Kurito and Seikodo, to the
south of Win, where some Japanese
batteries had taken position This
firing continued into Thursday night.
and General Kuroki reports that,
while it was ineffective, 1t disturbed
his preparations for an attack. The
Russians resumed the shelling OF
Win on Friday, but the japanese
guns did not reply.
Bridged the YaIu.
The twelfth division of the japanese
army was chosen to make the first
crossing Of the Yalu- 1t began its
preparations on Friday by driving the
Russians from their position on the
bank Of the river opposite Suikochin.
which is eight miles above Win and
the point selected for the crossing This
division constructed a pOntoon bridge
over the river, and at 3 o'clock Satur-
day morning it began crossing The
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