Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-06-02
Miseellaaeous Reaains.
REVIEW OF THE WAR.
Unbroken Succession Of Japanese Vic.
.. tories on Land and Sea.

| S0Fl6S OF 6aU0 anu SCds
The war between Russia and Japan
that finds one of its most decisive bat
ties in the sea fight between Rojest-
vensky and Togo, was declared Feb
ruary IS, 1904. when the Japanese en-
peror announced to the world that he
had begun a conflict to stop Muscovite
aggression in the far East. For ten
years the czar had been encroaching on
China, securing footholds that threat
ened the integrity Of Manchuria and
Korea. The situation had become
tense when the Japanese approached
the Russian government July %, 1908,
with a view to securing a definition
of the rights Of the two countries In
the regions in dispute. Russia sug-
gested that Korea should be divided as
a sphere Of influence. and said nothing
Of Manchuria- japan refused the COM
promise and demanded that the inde-
pendence Of all China should be res
pected. The czar hesitated and was
lost, for the mikado went to war.
For years the Japanese had been
preparing for the struggle. Their fleet
sailed westward across the Yellow sea
February 6, 1904, and two days later
encountered the Russian cruiser Var
lag and the gunboat Korietz off Che
mulpo. Korea. The first shot Of the
war was fired by Admiral Togo and
the Russians put back into Chemulpo
The same night Japanese torpedo
boats invaded the harbor entrance Of
Port Arthur and destroyed four Of the
cars battle ships. Meanwhile Togo
was keeping the variag and Korietz
bottled up at Chemulpo. The two
boats went out TO meet the enemy
February 8. and Within one hour were
riddled wrecks. Putting back into
harbor, they were blown up by the
Russians themselv es.
Japs Strike Rapid Blows.
Lightning blows had gained the sea
fights at Chemulpo and Port Arthur,
and the Japanese hastened to invade
Manchuria They landed forces at Fu-
san and Chemulpo and pushed into the
interior, capturing Seoul. the Korean
capital. February II. The mikados
men then turned their faces north
| ward, and the Russians dispatched SOL
diers toward the Yalu.
The Japanese advance guard pushed
the foe back and won Cheng Ku, Ko-
rea. on March 2S and Wiju on April
6. On April 30, after a tremendous
bombardment, the Japanese crossed
the Yalu and defeated the Russians at
Chiuliencheng the next day.
Five days later Kuroki came up
with the retreating Russians and dis
lodged them from Feng Wang Cheng,
and the Muscovites began the retreat
toward Lao Yang. Additional soldiers
of the mikado had been landed at Ia
kusen by this time and at Pittsewo and
Kinchow, on the Kwang Tung pensin-
sula. Under Nodzu. Oku and Nogi the
forces moved westward, capturing Kin
chow May 26. The combats were most
sanguinary, but the Japanese by their
| victories had cut off Port Arthur from
aid from the north.
| The Japanese army then divided.
Nogi pressing toward Port Arthur on
the south while Oku engaged the Rus
slams to the north. Gen. Stackelberg
tried to. cut through Oku's army to re-
lieve the threatened fortress Of Port
Arthur, but was repulsed In a series
of bloody battles that ended with a
crushing. disaster at Telissu on June
IA and IS. The Russians lost 10000
and were pursued by Oku, who drove
them successfully from Kaiping on
July 9, Haicheng on August 3, and
New Chwang on August 8. This move
deprived Russia Of its last base on
the Chinese coast.
Keep Russians Moving.
| To the east Kuroki and NodZu kept
the Russians on the jump. Tragic de-
feats were met by the Muscovites at
Fen Shut. Molten and Ia passes June
80. An attempt was made by the Rus
sians to retake Montienling July II,
but It failed. Yantze pass and Yush-
ulin then were lost by the Russians
who were forced to retire toward Lao
Yang. They now were forced into
concentrated area, the front extend
ing twenty-fiv miles between Anping
and Ansanchan.
The fight for possession of Lao Yang
began August 26. the Japanese army
numbering 100000 men, with 500 guns
| while the Russians had 100000 men,
with 400 guns. Kuroki turned the
Russian left: Oku broke through the
right, and Kuropatkin retreated with
great skill. Lao Yang was occupied
by the japanese September 4. Oyama
failed to pursue the retreatihg army
with celebrity, and the Russians crossed
the Sha river, and proceeded toward
Mukden. Kuropatkin announced Octo-
ber | that he was able to succor Port
Arthur, and began the advance at
once. Terrific battles followed on the
Shakhe, or Shar, river along the front
of fifty miles Men fought without
sleep for days. Kuropatkin was turn
ed back by Japanese endurance Octo-
ber l3 and retreated again. The RELIEF
expedition had failed.
The Russian casualties In these ter
rife fights were estimated at $4,000,
and the Japanese at 10000. During the
winter the two armies watched each
other along the Sha river, men perish
ing Of cold In great numbers. Sentries
were frozen stiff at their posts. In
February Oyama began activities
again. Gen. Grippenberg was van
uuished at Sandiapu. and retired In
disgust to St. Petersburg. Haba pass
was won February "a and the move
ment for the capture of Mukden was