Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1904 — WAR DURING A WEEK [ARTICLE]

WAR DURING A WEEK

RUSSIANS AND JAPB FIGHT MANY MINOR ENGAGEMENTS. tfnroki’s Army Takes Some Important Places In Its Advance, but It Has Met with Plenty of Fighting—Rainy Season Retards Campaign. At the beginning of last week, according to tho Chicago Tribune’# war strategist Gen. Oku, with 80,000 men, was moving north on both side# of tb© Port Arthur railway. Simultaneously Kurokl had advanced from his bane* at Siuyen and Fon'gwangcheng an<J was proceeding over three road* to Kaichou, Tatehekiao, and Helcheng, with tho hope of striking the Russians on their left and rear. In the course of Its advance Kurokl’s army met plenty of fighting before It managed to take the three Important passes situated one on each of the three roads along which he is advancing. The fighting for Fenshui pass was sever©, the Japanese, by their own report, having suffored 1,170 casualties, Tho Japanese troops engaged In this operation were part of the. Takushan division, concerning whose composition 60 little information has leaked out of Toklo. The official report, as

given out to the press, does not contain the name of the victorious general, but refers to him merely as “the commander of the Takushan division.” The attack on Fenshul began pmorning of the 26th. Tfce f fighting lasted until dark, the Ulissians maintaining their posjtjibh. At midnight tlio Nipponese sjQluierswere quietly aroused and, byatiched once more again at tho enemy. The Japanese artillery got Into a bad mess In this fight, and the loss of tlielr guns was threatened, but the Kamada men drove the attackers off and the guns were,extricated. Meanwhile a flanking force had been sent by an adjoining valley to the tear and left of the Russians, “causing them to lose their freedom of action.” As a result, the Russians’ defense of their frontal position was weakened. Tho Jap Infantry, assisted by the engineers, then dashod up tho hill from two sides, cut the wire entanglements, destroyed the obstacles, stormed the position, and occupied the heights at 11:30 lu tho morning. The Russians retreated northwestward, six of their officers and eighty-two of their men being captured, while over 100 were left dead on the field. The fight at Ta pass also took place on the 27th. The position was first shaken by heavy artillery fire, and then taken by simultaneous frontal and flank assault A Russian correspondent reports that In this engagement “the Japanese redemonstrnted their reliance upon artillery." In every fight in which they have yet been engaged the Japanese success has been largely doe to their accurate and copious artillery practice. The Russian losses at Ta pass were 200; Japanese losses not stated.

Still smother Japanese success occurred on June 27. The army besieging Port Arthur is of unknown else and under an unknown commander. Little has been heard of It lately, but it started an Engagement on the 20th, 6ome ten miles east of Port Arthur, As a result the Russians were driven from heights 131 and 120 to Lounvantlan heights, eight and two-thirds miles cast of Port Arthur. In these engagements the Russians lost 200 men and 7 officers. Fifty Japanese were killed by the explosion of a mine over which they were passing. The following day, again June 37, the Japs took Lounvantlan, driving th© Russians off. No more details of this action. The Japanese are now mounting siege guns on Lounvantlan height, and have already begun to cast thel? shells from the land side Into Port Arthur. the northern section of the second army had not been particularly busy, It did not carry on Its advance vigorously enough to get Into a severe light. It was engaged In one twp-day skirmish for the possession of fienuchen, which object It achieved on June 27. The Russian losses were fifty; Japanese losses not stated. It is a most significant thing that these five engagements were concluded .on June 27. It must have been more than a coincidence. Oku’s army occupied Senuchen on the 27th, and topk lounvantlan on the same day. Kuro-

ki’s army took Motlen pass on the 27th. “The commander of the Takushan division” took Fenshul pass on the same day. The Japs“also took Ta pass on the 27tb. This successful simultaneous forward movement in fife places indicates the perfect co-opera-tion and system of the Japanese commanders. Probably on the night of June 2S or 29 the three Russian cruisers quitted Vladivostok again. They were accompanied by ten torpedo boats. The entire squadron appeared off Gensan on the east coast of Korea early on the morning of Juno 30. Six of the torpedo boats went into Gensang harbor and sank a Japanese merchantman and a coasting schooner which they found there. Then, after firing 200 shells into the town, they sailed out to rejoin the cruisers. Their entire visit lasted an hour and fifty minutes. Toklo reported that the Russian ships proceeded southward to Korea Straits, where they fell In with Admiral Kamlmura’s squadron and an engagement ensued. The result was not known. the present writing the authenticity of this report has not been confirmed. The rainy season has begun. Gen. Ivourapatkln reports torrential rains in the Tatchekiao district. These rains have continued for four days. They have even drowned some men. Dry stream beds have become converted into swift rivers. The miserable roads through which the rival armies are now operating will be made Impassably If the rains do not entirely stop the campaign they will greatly retard its movements. The advantage lies with Kouropatkln, because he has the railroad to move kis provisions