RUSSIANS CRUSHINGLY DEFEATED.

Manawatu Herald, 21 June 1904, Page 2

RUSSIANS CRUSHINGLY DEFEATED.

The Japanese occupied Huayensiang on Sunday, after expe ling 800 Chinese irregulars, who had been enrolled by. Russia. The Japanese claim to have crushing! y defeated the Russians at Telissa. Advancing on Tuesday in two columns they drove the Russians back east of Wafangtun. An obstinate artillery duel followed until nightfall, when the Japanese position extended from Pangchiatung to Yukolong. The Russians were strongly reinforced at night, enabling two and a half divisions to hold the line near Te issa, extending from Tafangshen to Ohentiensbien,

The Japanese, during the night, sent a Column east of Puchon in order to envelope the Russian right wing and drive it into a defile at the back of Telissa. The plan succeeded. While the main force moved northward along the railway line, three columns swung left and right, converging at noon, and surrounded the nxiain Russian position. The Russians were taken at a disadvantage, but stubbornly resisted until 8 o’clock, when they broke ground. The Japanese cavalry pursued them, inflicting heavy losses. Admiral Skrydloff, who was aided by heavy fogs, evaded Admiral Kamimura, who was at Geosan, but is now in pursuit. Campbell, captain of the Hitachimaru, when attacked, tried to ram his assailant, but the Hitachimam and Sadomaru were both torpedoed. They carried large supplies, many horses, and 1400 troops. The Consul-General has received reports from the Commander of the Army at Liaotung, which state that three columns of Japanese surrounded two and a half divisions of the Russians at Wafangkau; and severe fighting lasted from dawn to 3 o’clock in the afternoon of tha 15th, ending in the rout and flight of the Russians.

The Japanese losses, so far as was known, were under a thousand. > The Russians left 500 killed and wounded on the fi dd. Three hundred prisoners, Commander of the Fourteenth Sediment, besides fourteen quick-firers, were captured. The Japanese also took the Russian colours. Survivors of the Hitchimaru say they met Admiral Skydloff at seven in the morning, and stopped in response to a signal. • However, they attempted later to escape. The fire was terrific, and in a few minutes the decks were covered with corpses. The commander of the troops ordered the flag to be burned and then committed suicide. Many members of the crew and the troops escaped in the ship’s boats. The Sadomaru was badly’damaged and partly burned, but the officers managed to beach the vessel at Okushima.