The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-11-03

here that, after savage sortfe by
the Russians, the Japanese used their
own dead and wounded to form final
breastwork of defense.
The point of the Wedge Of Death
was within forty yards of the Russian
parapet, and here assailants and de-
tenders lay watching each other
through chinks between sand-bags.
waiting for chance to shoot. A few
inches at time low steel screen
was pushed forward by the Japanese
sappers, and while Russian bullets
battered furiously about it little
more earth was dug away, and thus
the trench advanced.
The soldiers here were relieved
every thirty minutes. Human nerves
could not endure the strain longer.
The besiegers were more than fifty
days pushing forward this trench,
inch by inch; yet rarely. by night or
day, did minute pass without the
crack of a rifle or the rat-a-tat Of ma
chine guns, accompanied by the whiz
and patter or DallS.
Yet up and down the shattered gray
slopes of the hills and forts outside
there was never a living thing In
sight. Both armies were invisible,
hidden in the earth, hidden yet watch
ing with grim determination. If dur
ing the assaults and sorties soldier
fell in the open space between these
grim lines there was no succor for
him. Biscuits and water-bottles were
often thrown to the sufferers, but not
even the Red Cross men ventured
forth to bring them in.
On one evening in September, after a
fierce bombardment all day from the
Japanese siege guns and mortars. Gen.
Stossel ordered his own two guns to
cease firing, one by one, as If
silenced.
Then as darkness drew on he in
structed the engineers in charge OF
the five searchlights on the east side
of the fortress to cut off the electric
current suddenly from the first one,
then another, as If the japanese shells
had injured the dynamos.
This ruse succeeded. Thinking the
moment favorable, Gen. Oshimo
ordered night attack on the Eternal
Dragon and Keekwan forts.
Three full regiments of Japanese
infantry, one of them the Ninth. is
suing silently from their trenches in
the darkness, began to climb the steep
mountain side.
When halfway up the Russian
stratagem was disclosed Suddenly
the searchlights played again. betray-
ing the assailants as they climbed
Then the guns, supposed to be
silenced, belched shell and shrapnel,
and regiment of Siberian sharn-
shooters that had already filed out
from the moat of the fortress charged
the flank of the Japanese.
Then ensued for two or three hours,
in the alternate darkness and glare
of the searchlights, amidst barsed-
wire entanelements. one of those san
culinary hand-to-hand conflicts fer
which the siege of Port Arthur is
without parallel
Neither side gained definite adj
vantage. The Russian survivors at
. last took refuge in their fort, the
Japanese in their trenches, and in the
dawn. down the slope. lay FIVE thou
sand men, killed or SO desperately
wounded that they were unable to
crawl away. Among the wounded.
close up to the moat of the Eternal
Dragon, was Capt. Okla, both legs
b oxen by a fragment of shell. At
about o'clock that morning Lieut..
Vannoffsky was looking down through
loop-hole of the fort wall above. He
saw Okla stir feebly; and after a
recognized him
Twice the Russian spoke Oka's
name down from the wall, but could
not make him hear.
During the forenoon Lieut.. Van
noffsky descended to a caponiere in
the moat and tossed flask over to
the wounded man. 1t fell wide or
passed hnnoticed; and 1t was not TIL
nightfall that the Russian was really
able to do anything.
Then after it had grown quite dark
.and the searchlights were playing
elsewhere. the lieutenant climbed out
of the moat and crawled cautiously
to where Okla lay, partly sheltered in
a hole made by an exploding shell
It had been day of frightful suf
fering for the young Japanese, but
he was still alive and hearing Van
noffsky creeping near, he drew a
pistol, thinking him one of the enemy
come to rob or murder him. Van
noffskv laid gentle hand on his
arm, however
Fear not 1t is thy Alexandra
WITCH" he whispered; then he graspe
his hand, held flask to his lips, and
INQUIRED as to his wounds.
The searchlight now came dancing