The Breckenridge news., 1905-01-11

ing OF JUpahese SbllOTs
Miss Alice Brneman, Red Cross
nurse OH duty with one of the japanese
armies at the front, tells in letter to
relatives in Shenandoah, Pa, how
single piece Of ordnance. Il hOwitzer,
given by a resident of Philadelphia to
Il Japanese officer, kept three Russian
regiments at bay for whole day while
the main japanese force was executing
Il thanking movement, says the Phila
1elphia Record. Miss Brneman writes.
The Russians imagined they were
fighting the full strength of the Jap
anese detachment, and | see by the
press dispatches that their officers
claimed to have 'silenced the Japanese
batteries 1t is possible that they do
not yet know that the only thing they
were up against was a little Philadel-
phia hOwitZer, which was hurried from
point to point behind the Japanese
breaStworks in order to give the Rus
slams the impression that all the Jap
anese batteries were still in position.
This incident will serve to explain
to the public why the Russian army so
frequently after the officers report hav-
ing 'silenced the japanese batteries re-
tires and retreats long distance. In
nearly every case the Japanese field
pieces have vacated the positions which
the Russians believe they have shelled
effectively and are scurrying around to
the Russian right or left.
oil nrfO "a
1t has usually been the case that the
first intimation the Russians had of
these tactics was when the roar of the
enemy's pieces was suddenly heard to
the side, in good position to cut or
their retreat. This explains why Gen
eral Zassoulitch in every engagement in
which his troops fought has been oblig-
ed to abandon his guns to the Japs, as
no time was left for his retreat
THE Russians, however, are now be
ginning to anticipate the favorite tao
tical movements of the Japs, and in
order to be prepared they sent out
scouting parties for miles. They also
began hanking tactics themselves dur
Ing several Of the minor engagement"
fought during August. The elaborate
plans of the Japs, however, who exc
cuted one turning movement after the
other i'm such rapid succession as to be-
wilder the Russians, invariably proved
successful"
Miss Brineman states that the how
itzer Of which the japanese made such
effective use against General ZassOu-
fnI Ia
lie square in Philadelphia. After 1t
was removed it came into the posses
sion of an officer of the regular United
States army. who presented it to a
japanese officer about eight years ago
on the occasion of n visit to the United
States. This piece OF ordnance did
duty during the American civil war,
but with the new japanese powder it
was found that the howitzer had pow
er to throw larger projectiles than
many of the more modern guns used
by the Japs.
"The japanese" Miss Brineman
writes, value the howitzer very high
ly. Their equipment with heavy guns
is not as thorough as reported. and If
a Russian feet should sweep down the
coast of Japan 1t would be found that
many of the principal seaports have
been denuded of their protection in
ordnance in order to supply the armies
and the besegers at Port Arthur with
implements"
Among the recorded deeds of hero
ism accomplished In the course of the
Russo-Japanese war few equal In bril-
liant recklessness the exploits Of
fourteen year-old lad, Nicholas Zouefr,