Los Angeles herald., 1905-01-04
AWFUL SLAUGHTER OF MINES
japs Charged Over Shattered Walls
of Rihlung Mountain Fort

OF Rinlung MOUNTAIN FoTl
BY Associated Press
HEADQUARTERS OF THE JAP
.ANESE THIRD ARMY IN FRONT OF
PORT ARTHUR, Dec. 20, via Yinkow,
via Tien Tsin, Jan. 3.-After many
weeks Of patient toll by regiment Of
the center division, the making of mine
tunnels under the north wall of Rihlung
\ mountain fort through solid rock was
completed and the mines laid on De-
cember 2S.
Without warning, seven mines con-
tanning two tons of dynamite were ex-
pfoded at 10 O'Clock ON the morning of
the 2Sth T1e spectacle was magnifi-
cent. The entire front walls of the
fort seemed to be lifted into the air in.
tremendous opaque curtain of earth
and debris of all kinds.
There was no preliminary lombard
ment TO give the Russians hint of
what was in store for them. Half the
garrison perished as the result of the
explosions and the subsequent charge
of the Japanese.
In anticipation of a stubborn resist
ance by a large garrison the Japanese
before daylight pushed a large force
into the trenches, where they remained
concealed until the explosion took
place. The moment the mines were
fired a whole park of siege guns opened
concentrated fire upon the fort, which
was obscured from view by the BURST
ing shells.
Under cover of this wonderful prac-
charged over the filled-in moat and at
tackled the first line of Russian
trenches, behind which were machine
guns.
s Many Russians Killed
The Russians were thrown into the
greatest confusion and many of them
We're killed by the explosions. Never
theess they fought desperately, but
were not able to Withstand the num-
bers and. determination pf~the Japa-
nose, who passed over the broken walls
like ants in the face of a fire from the
trenches was captured after 20 minutes
of awful lighting.
The fort was arranged In two levels.
In the lower level there were infantry
in the trenches and upon the walls, and
in the rear were machine gun trenches
with a deep interior. In the center of
the higher level there were quick-hring
guns and heavier guns In the emplace-
ments. In the rear of the higher level
masonry were the concreted barracks.
the magazines and the Kitchens OF the
garrison.
When the Japanese captured the
lower level i'm the first spirited charge
they We're not able to advance further.
With splendid courage, however. the
black masses of troops maintained their
position, notwithstanding an awful con-
centrated fire from the fortress and
from artillery in the forts of Antse and
Else mountains, across the gorge of the
sbushi valley, and made trench line
from the broken wallis to capture the
machine gun trenches,
All the time Japanese artillery bom'
harded the rear of the fort and the
Chinese wall. SO as to prevent the arr
rival OF reinforcements.
Japs' splendid Charge
Al 4 o'clock IN tho afternoon the
Japanese massed and captured the
machine gun trenches and the lower
section of the fort. Then they charged
the higher level in splendid form. going
up IN twog and threes until large
body had gained the crest Of the
northeast corner.
Before dark the walls Of the hlgher
ioiel were black With men who had
l (UOntinuea ON FAGe rwel