Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1905-05-11
SAW GEN. OKU TAKE VILLAGE

to the same line. Then came q third
lot, and fourth and a fifth. When
perhaps $50 men had gathered on that
line, the first men went forward again,
this time not so far, and dropped.
again followed in the same order by
the other groups
BY this time the Russians had dis
| covered them. Some of the soldiers
who started forward did not reach the
second line. They dropped on the way
and became mere dark spots on the
ground. Dozens of them dropped as
the advance continued, but that did
| not stop the others, who went on until
all who were able reached the second
line. Then another rush began. The
Smelling was heavier than before and
the rush was still shorter this time,
and there were more dark spots on
the ground.
Few Reach Safety Goal.
Then 1 noticed that similar ad
vance had begun from the west vii
lage, men going forward in the same
manner and also leaving behind them
dark spots on the ground. From both
parties soldiers were going back to
the starting point, some of them run
ming, some walking very slowly. some
limping painfully. They were the
wounded, and to reach safety they
were compelled to go through the line
of shell fire again. Few of them
reached safety. I saw one party of
five start back. Only one reached the
goal, the others being added to the
dark spots on the ground.
At the same time we saw reinforce
ments moving up to the west village
from the railway embankment. They
went forward few at time in long
struggling single line. The Russians
evidently saw them, for they began
throwing shrapnel in their direction,
but so far as I saw not one OF them
was hit.
Now the attack on the village was
closing in. The men who were left
of the attacking parties were getting
closer and closer. The rushes were
only few yards long now and they
came at longer intervals. Rifle fire
from inc Village was eihuSu w N''N
sound of the guns and more and more
men fell. Re-enforcements began to
move forward in rushes from both VII
lagos.
Final Rush Begins.
Across the plain from the north vii
laSc and through the trees from the
west village they went, paying no
heed to the shells that were sweeping
the ground in both directions. A
party of a dozen had rushed forward
but few yards from the west village
among them. When the smoke and
dust cleared away there were four or
five dark spots on the ground, but the
other men were rushing on, regardless
of their comrades fate.
At last came the final rush. From
both sides the Japanese attackers
rushed into the village and were lost
to sight behind the walls. For mo-
ment there was heavy rifle fire in the
village. Then it grew fainter and
fainter and finally died away alto
gether. Then the Russian shells be-
gan to burst over the village and we
knew that the attack had been sue
cessful. More men moved into the
village, this time with less trouble,
although the shells still fell thickly on
the plain and in the grove, but the vii
lage was captured.
The night is calm and peaceful, and
still, but in the improvised hospitals
men are moaning and suffering and
out there on the battlefield the stars
cast their faint light on hundreds of
dark spots on the ground.