The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1905-04-19

The account given by a young Japa-
nese officer Lieutenant 1waL while
lying in hospital at Liaoyang, OF TIE
circumstances in which he received
four wounds makes a vivid page in
the story of General Mistchenko's cav
airy raid down the western bank OF
the Lao river, in Manchuria, says
Tokyo correspondent of the London
Times.
On Jan. 3, 1901, it became known 10
the japanese garrison at Anshatien
that the Russian cavalry was showing
some activity in the valley beyond the
Lao. No details were prOcurable, how
ever, and the officer in command de-
cided to send out company of intan-
try to reconnoiter. lie did not suspect,
it would seem, that more than a few
sotnias of Cossacks would be encoun-
tered. Captain Yasuhara went III com
mand of the company. 1t numbered
over a hundred men-the exact detaII
has not been published-and WIN II
were Lieutenant IWdi and Assistant
Surgeon Namba. The little force moved
slowly and cautiously, endeavoring to
collect information as they went. Dur
ing six days they saw nothing or the
enemy. but on the 9th when they had
crossed the Taitse river and were III
the region between it and the Lao
they discovered that large body OF
cavalry, some 1900 strong, was u
front of them ii was then about half
past 8 in the afternoon. 70 retreat at
43nc4 would have been the natural
c6urse for Yasuhara's company, since
10 effect a reconnaissance had been
4haIr only object. Put the close prox-
unity Of the russians made safe re-
treat Impossible for infantry, and,
moreover, an excellent position fo2 &C.
fensive purposes offered itself in the
Immediate neighborhood. Easuhara
determined, therefore. to make stand,
sending meanwhile a small detachment
TO the rear to convey the intelligence to
headquarters.
At half past the advance guard OF
the CossackS detected the presence OF
the Japanese: but, seeing that the lat'
fer's number was insignificant, the
Russian troopers rode on boldly. Inc
first volley from Yasuhara's men emp
tied over sixty saddles, and the re-
mainder of the Cossacks. galloping
back out of range, dismounted and adj
vanced on foot 1t was evidently
hopeless combat. There had not been
time for the Japanese to intrench et-
fectively, and they soon saw that to re-
main where they were would he certain
death. One chance suggested itself.
AT q short distance from the position
first chosen there stood a solidly built
Chinese house. Could the infantrymen
get possession of this edifice they
might possibly hold it until darkness
furnished some opportunity for retire
ment.
The Russians, however, detected this
purpose before it could be successfully
executed, and q desperate struggle for
the possession of the house took place.
Two rushes made by the Japanese fail
ed and. though the third carried them
into the building, they found when they
counted their force that only twenty
seven men remained fit for action.
Eighteen others had reached the house.
but all We're wounded-Captain laSu-
hara, shot through the stomach: Lieu
tenant Iwai, hit in four places; Assist
ant Surgeon Namba. with broken le=
and three sergcants and twelve pri-
Yates, all crippled. More than one-haf
of the whole company lay killed or
wounded outside. 1t was Il little past
6 o'clock. During the next two hours
the Russians repeatedly attempted TO
recover the building, but were always
driven back Now. however, their ar