THE RECENT BATTLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 31, 6 February 1905, Page 5

THE RECENT BATTLE.

FOTJGHT TS A SIfOWSTOBM. JAPS IN GREAT DANGER. _ONDON, February 4. Field-Marshal Gyama's despatches indicate that tbe Japanese army was in a pree_rious position during the four days' desperate battle between the H— and tbe Ska Rivers. The fighting took place in a blinding snowstorm, with the centigrade th_r__o__et_p 30 degrees below zero. General Gripenberg surprised tbe post at Keikontai. The garrison resisted all day and fought its -way out in the darkness of night. The R_ssians pressed their advantage in various directions, a_d involved General Okn's army in difficulties. For a time the sit—ation was very critical. The Japanese left wing lost heavily, and •was compelled to retreat. The Russians caught another detachment at S—mapao. There was desperate hand-to-hand fighting, and the Japanese repulsed the enemy. On the morning of Saturday, January 28, a Russian force fired into the rear of the Japanese centre, which turned and practically annihilated the enemy, only two hundred of them surrendering. Meanwhile Field-Marshal Oyama sent reinforcements to General Oku to enable him to recapture Eeikoutal.