The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-15
Resembles the Yalu.

small scale, having two OF three streams
only few yards wide and shallow al this
season, running in irregulall channels
along wide sandy bed. On the south side
the line of hills and mountains were FOL
lowed by the Japanese trenches which
were about mile from the stream, while
the lower hills and bluffs on the Rus
sian side were much nearer. The hills
were bare of trees and rocky and the
whole landscape had a barren and bleak
aspect In front of Witesan and for some
miles in both directions the river ran
nearly east and west To the east 1t
made a wide bend northward among high,
steep hills At the west ii took another
turn toward the southwest IN front OF
the great rocky hill called Monpausnan,
or Tower Hill. One division of kuroki
troops was to cross in front of Witesan,
another division at the bend of the river
east and a third among the hills several
miles from the center division. WedEcs-
day the men who have done more than
any other branch of the army to win bat
tles-the Japanese infantry-came into evil
dence.
Infantry Takes Part.
During the night two companies had
been sent forward and occupied village
in the plain to the right Of Nitesan, IN
front of a hill where the correspondent
was watching events. That day they were
subjected to the hardest test THAT IN
fantry has to endure, to lie still under
heavy Smelling all day ana take their
chances of being hit There was no pro-
lection in the town except nuts with
straw roofs and mud walls and mud walls
around the yards. The soldiers huddled
In long rows behind the walls, while the
Russian shells struck nearby and some
times among them. The Russian battery
working on this village used mostly soma
Shells but its aim was poor SO that the
majority dropped either in front of the
village or behind it. and when night came
The fields locked as though they had been
plowed at random, but only thirty sol
diers were hit.
During the night of Thursday and early
morning of Friday the infantry began TO
play the leading part in the battle pc
fore Witesan, and from that time untll
the Russians raised a white nag TO ask
for an armistiee on the afternoon OF
Tuesday, the It'll, they successfully en-
dured an ordeal that has few counter
parts in the history of battles. TWO brl-
gades crossed the river Thursday night
and drove the Russian advance line from
the first trenches at the foot of the hSls
by one of the night rushes with ule bayo-
nets which the Japanese army as success
fully attempted SO often during TINS war
contrary to the text books or the pest
European theorists. Friday morning they
were arrayed at the foot On tne mis-
which were the Russian defenses of the
main line and some detaehmehts were
part way up the slopes. there was sharp
fighting during the day in which the
Jananese made further advances ana
planted themselves along line TWO miles
long facing the Russian trenches ana IN
a few places only a few yards distant.
They got little further in the next four
DAYS but they held their line and undep
difficulties which made 1t seem impos-
sible.
In the first night the Russians made
four attacks to drive them back. with
q fusilade of continuous rifle fire sup
norted much Of the tirle by Smelling. The
ighting continued In this character for
three successive nights, beginning before
midnight and lasting until daybreak, and
Il was continuous although not SO heavy
during the days. All the advantages lay
with the Russians. Their guns could fire
upon the japanese lines at closer dis
tances and with greater effect than could
the Japanese guns across the river upon
the Russians. their trenches ran at angles
which commanded the approaching slopes
from front and tanks, and behind them
were rooted shelters in which the sol
diers could find rest and warmth. On
their side the japanese had only such pro-
lection as they could improvise under
great disadvantages digging the frozen
ground and in the face Of rife fire, and
turning the face Of some of the smaller
Russian trenches Going into action each
man carried on his shoulders pair of
small sand bags and for many these
bags were the only shelter for hours and
days To raise head or even an arm
drew fire. For the first day they got no
warm food only the rations carried In
their haversacks All of this time the
nights were several degrees below freez-
ing and in the days the temperature
hardly rose above freezing point. The
losses of this contingent. most of them.
in the first nights work. reached fif-
teen hundred. including sixty officers.
Gave Splendid Exhibition.
The non-combatants gave a splendid ex-
hibition of their devotion to duty, with
almost the same risks and without the
opportunities for glory Of the men In the
fighting line Al supplies of ratons and
ammunition had to be taken across the
river and the open fields under fire from
the Russian batteries and during the last
stage of the trip before the Russian rifles.
south Of the river bed was the plain at
least mile wide with no shelter and over
this went pack trains, carts and hospital
mon bringing back the wounded, the
stretcber bearers carrying bodies to the
cremating fire behind Witesan. For two
days this zone was swept by an almost
constant artillery fire, and for three days
the roads and approaches were shelled at
intervals for several hours. Yet on the
plain the engineers were calmly repair
ing the telephone lines. while the men
of the hospital corps plodded back and
forth on their journey. One of the base
bosnitals was situated In a Chineses ham
lei hack of a low hill on the border of
the plain and was frequently struck by
shells. The road from this hospital to
the headquarters of the division, which
wore ON the reverse Of small slope fur
Their 10 the front ran for several hun
ered yards in sight of Russian battery.
The Russian guns were sending shell
every few minutes during the night as
we'll as the day. The carts and horse
men were sent across the road and at
fu,I sneed 10 present the least possible
target one Of the roads to the river
led from the headquarters village down
the farther side Of the slope and this
49,