The San Francisco call., 1905-01-03
CHRONOLOGY
OF SIEGE OF
PORT ARTHUR
Fierce FightingDur
ing Past Eleven
Months.
WARS SAD COST

The following are in brief the prin-
cipal incidents of the siege of Port Ar
thur.
February S-Admiral Togo's torpedo ffotilla
ettacked the Russian ships off Port Arthur and
damaged the Cesarevitch, Retvizan and Pal
lada
February -Bombardment by the japanese
during which the Poltava, Askold Diana and
Novik hit.
February 12-Russian mining ship Yenise
sunk by accident; ninety six officers and mer
February 14-Torpedo- boats attacked Port
Arthur at B a. m. in snowstorm and sue
ceeded in sinking the Boyarin.
February 24-Attempt to block harbor en-
trance by sinking steamships only partially
March Fourth bombardment Russian de-
stroyer sunk.
March 22-Fffth bombardment. Destroyer
SLIM engaged six Japanese boats.
March 26-Another attempt to block harboI
. failed, the loaded merchantmen sinking but
not in the desired positions.
April 13-Battle off Port Arthur. Battleship
Petropavlovsk sank with Admiral Makarof;
the artist Verestchagin, the chief of staff and
$50 officers and men. The Pobieda was dis
sbled and one Russian destroyer sunk.
May 5--Japanese transport, conveyed by tor
pedo-b boat, disembarked troops at Pitzwo for
the siege of Port Arthur.
May Another attempt 10 block the haroor
entrance, which it was reported, was success
ful.
May 15-Japanese battleship Hatsuse and
cruiser Yoshino of Admiral Togo's fleet sunk
the Yoshino. owing to collision with the ka
suga, and the Hatsuse through accidentally
striking a mine.
May % 27-Battle of Kinchau and Nan
shan. General Stoessel returned to the fort
ress. being forced back from the neck of the
Kwangtung peninsula
MAY 30-Japanese captured Port Dalny
June 14-f6-General Stackelberg, advancing
. to the relief of Port Arthur, driven back by
General Oku at the battles Of Wafangkau and
june % -24-sortie of Russian squadron
failed.
Japanese occupied Kinsan Heights
July 22-Fourth japanese army landed at
Port Dalny.
OF all Japanese attacks.
July 30-Japanese captured VOLTS Hill, six
miles from Port Arthur.
August 2-Sortie by Russian torpedo boats.
August 5-Japanese captured defenses OF
Wolfs. Green and Christ hills, north and east
of the citv.
August Japanese landed troops in Louisa
Bay west of Port Arthur.
August 10-Sortie and dispersal OF Husslan
squadron by Japanese fleet under Admiral
august 14-Defeat of vIadvostok squadron
attempting to form junction with vessels OF
Port Arthur squadron.
August 14-16-Terriic bombardment by the
Japanese Capture of Pigeon Bay positions.
August 16-The Japanese Emperor s offer for
the removal of non-combatants. with demand
for surrender, delivered to General stoessel.
August 11-Refusal of General StoeSsel of
the Mikados offer Terrific fighting resumed.
August 1s-The Japanese captured several
Pigeon Bay positions.
August 19-Russian gunboat sunk off Port
august 2e-The japanese in full control of
Pigeon Bay positions. Capture of one Of the
August 2s-Japanese captured parade grounds
ard Etzshan, one of the important heights Of
August 3o-Russian Emperor issued a ukase
about reducing the terms of service OF the
brave defenders of Port Arthur.
September to 19, 81 and 22-Continuous
bonbardment by the Japanese. During the
last three days the japanese captured Fort
September 27-Russian water supply cut of
by the Japanese. Russians made sortie'
but were driven back with loss.
September 29-Russians partly assumed the
offensive and tried to recapture lost positions
and the water supply; unsuccessful.
October 3-General Stoessel issued procla-
October "a steamship with ammunition
october 13-Japanese bombardng unceasing-
1y. Shelling became more violent.
October 20--Fightjng Rihlung Mountain.
Severe cold weather caused suffering among
the japanese.
October 23-water supply cut off The new
town practically destroyed.
October ga general assault and lombard
Tnent by the Japanese. Slow advancement by
November 2-Japanese increased blockadine
November s-6-Japanese capture minor po-
November s-Japanese offered terms Of sur
render to Russian soldiers
asked for armistice General Nog en-
! powered to negotiate for surrender
November 12-The Japanese began some i'm
pCrtant tunneling operations.
November 13-Japanese captured trenches
in front of RihluHg and Sangshu forts and
moats of principal forts of eastern fortified
ridge.
4 November 15-General stoessel ordered his
troops TO die at their posts.
November 16-Russian torpedo-bat destroyer
Rastoropny arrived at Chefu and subsequently
was blown up.
q so;d
requested the Emperor to furnish supplies and
TO have added that he could hold out for sew
eral months.
November 1S-British steamship Victoria ran
the blockade at Port Arthur.
November 1e-United States Government
heard that Port Arthur would fall in about
twenty days. Dysentery and typhoid fever ap-
peared In fortress.
November 21-German steamship Betalau
captured by Japanese while attempting to run
November 22-Russians abandoned north fort
November 2e-Wireless communication be-
tween Port Arthur and Chefu ceased. Japa-
nese made general attack, but were repulsed
with enormous losses.
November 3O-Japanese began attack on 2os-
Meter Hill; lost 1000 men in an hour but
eventually captured the hill. Bombardnent of
Russian ships in the harbor by the Japanese
guns the hill became effective and event
ually all but the SeyaStopol were sunk
December 7-Russians said to have lost 5000
men in trying to recapture 203- Meter Hill
December 10-Announcement made that Gen
on November 30.
December lit became known that the
Japanese cruiser Saiyen struck Russian mine
November so and sank.
December "details Of several torpedo boat
attacks on the Russian battleship Sevastopol
which had succeeded in getting out of Port
Arthur during dark night. She was perma-
hently disabled by the torpedoes.
December 11-General Stoessel sent Letter
to General Nogi, asking him to refrain from
hombarding the hospitals
December 19-Some Russian officers reaNhed
Chefu with dispatches giving details OF Ahe
capture Of 203 Meter Hill by the japanese.
December 19-Japanese guardship Asagiri
captured the British steamship King Arthur
while she was attempting to leave Port Arthur
after running the blockade.
December 21-Confrmation of the reported
capture of Keekwan Mountain fort by the aged
Japanese General Samajima on December is.
December 27-Japanese steamship Nanshu