Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1905-03-03
JAPs CLOSE ON
RUSSIAN RIGHT
Oyama's Left Drives Back
Gen. Kuropatkin's
Outposts.
SCENE OF ACTION is SHIFTED
Seems to Have Transferred to Other
Flank-Japansse Again Turn Their
Attention to Vantage Point Held
BY tho Russians.

Russian Army Headquarters, Huan
Mountain, March 2.-Atter an all
nights battle the Russian forces
which seized the railroad bridge
across the Shakhe river retired after
having destroyed the Japanese fortif-
cations at the further end of the
bridge and thrown the japanese forces
there into CONSERVATION. The Jap
anese losses were heavy.
The attack on the bridge began at
8 o'clock Tuesday evening. Under
cover of a heavy bombardment by
field, siege and mortar batteries. Rus
sian chasseurs dashed forward and
crossed the bridge, which was illu-
minated by Japanese searchlights,
drove back the defenders and occu.
pied the further end of the bridge.
There the chasseurs threw up hasty
entertainments and soon drove the
Japanese from their defenses at the
head of the bridge. An hour later,
other chasseurs rushed across the
bridge and seized and fortified .
thicket opposite Lamuting, overcom.
ing q number of wolf holes and wire
entanglements, and blew up the Jap.
anese redoubts. The artillery mean
while kept up the bombardment and
succeeded by midnight in demolish.
ing the Japanese searchlights.
Then a stubborn fight in the dark.
ness began, the gloom being but
slightly dispelled by the pale light OF
the stars, and the reflection from fires
kindled by the explosion of shells.
The Japanese brought up their quick
fire guns and forced the Russians to
abandon the thickets, from which
position the Japanese proceeded to
lombard the regiments holding the
head of the bridge. TIE fight was
desperate and at close quarters.
The Japanese rushed up heavy
columns of reinforcements and
charged repeatedly across the river,
strewing the ice with the bodies of
their dead. At dawn the Russians re.
tired across the river, carrying their
wounded, but leaving about 100 dead
behind.
The Russians are exultant over the
losses inflicted upon the Japanese in
this rally and are eager to renew the
fight
General Oku's Headquarters, March
1.-The Japanese left wing is driv.
ing back the Russian outposts.
The Japanese have occupied line
from Shatzemun, two miles west of
the Hun river, in a northwest direc.
ton to Kalite. on the east bank of
the Lao river.
A heavy BON bardment along the en-.
tire line west of the railroad is in
progress night and day.
The Russians are firing blindly with
field and heavy guns.
The japanese remain in their posi-
ton and make no serious response to
the Russian fire.
Mukden, March 2.-For three days
Putiloff and Novorgord hills have been
subjected to a terrific bombardment
with 11-inch shells charged with Shi.
NOSE powder. From a distance the
hills look like volcanoes, spouting
flame and great clouds of smoke,
hail Of earth and stones falling far
beyond their bases. The Russian
siege batteries are answering ener.
getically, but their fire is comparative.
ly Intellectual.
All is quiet on the right flank at
this time, it being reported that Gen
eral Nogi is operating against the left
flank