The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1905-01-21
WORK OF ONE ofD GUN.
Russian Force Repelled by Howitze,
Given by Philadelphia to
Jap Officer.

Miss Alice Brineman, a Red Cross
nurse on duty with one Of the japanese
armies at the front, tells in letter to
relatives in Shenandoah, Pa, says the
Philadelphia Record, how single piece
of ordnance, howitzer, given by resi-
dent of Philadelphia to japanese Off
Ger, kept three Russian regiments at bay
for whole day while the main japanese
force was executing a fianking move
ment. Miss Brineman writes:
The Russians imagined they were
fighting the full strength of the jap
anese detachment and l see by the
press dispatches that their officers
claimed to have 'silenced the japanese
batteries 1t is possible that they do
were up against was little Philadelphia
howitzer which was. hurried from point
to point behind the Japanese breast
works, in order to give the Russians the
impression that all the Japanese bat
teries were still in position.
This incident will serve to explain to
the public why the Russian army SO fire.
quently after the officers report having
'silenced the Japanese batteries retircs
and retreats a long distance. In nearly
every case the japanese field pieces have
vacated the positions which the Rus
SLAMS believe they have shelled effective
gly and are scurrying around to the Rus
sian right or left
During all this summers campaign
it 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 a good position to cut of
their retreat. This explains why Gen.
Zassalitch, in every engagement In
which his troops fought, has been obliged
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 thfe Japs, and in or.
der to be prepared, they send out scout
ing parties for miles. They also began
fianking tactics themselves during sew
eral of the minor engagements fought
| during August. The elaborate plans of
the Japs, however, who executed one
| turning movement after the other in
such rapid succession as to bewilder
the Russians, invariably proved success
full. The witness and stragetical ability
of the japanese generals are not by any
means fully appreciated by the general
public in the west.
There is great rejoicing among the
English and American representatives
of business firms here at the way the
japanese are clearing the Manchurian
territory of the Russians Wherever
the Japanese have taken control con-
scriptive duties have fallen and fires
entry to American and English COM
merce has been established"
Miss BrineTan states that the howizer
of which the Japanese made such eff
| fective use against Gen. Zassalitch's
troops once ornamented public square
in Philadelphia. After it was removed
it came into the possession of an officer
of the regular United States army, who
presented it to japanese officer about
eight years ago. onthe occasion of visit
to this country. This piece of ordinances
di6 duty during the American civil war;
but with the new Japanese powder it was
found that the howitzer had power to
throw larger projectiles than many oil
the more modern guns used by the Japs
1.-THE Japanese" Miss BrinemaI
writes, value the howitzer very highly
| Their equipment with heavy guns is not
as thorough as reported, and if a Russian
! fleet should sweep down the coast oil
Japan it would be found that many o.
| the principal seaports have been denudet
of their protection in ordnance in ordel
to supply the armies and the besiegers a
Port Arthur with implements"