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Show BLOODY FIGHT I ON HIGH HILL: I Russian Describes the I Awful Slaughter, Port Arthur's Hardened Vet-erans Vet-erans Shuddered at the Sight. , Japs Shot Down in Squads, but on They Came, and Finally -Cap- tured the Height CHEFOO, Doc. IS. For ferocity and sustained desperation on both sides, tho struggle for thc possession of High hllL IH was probably the most remarkable In tho liH history In tho slcgo of Port Arthur a slcgo noted for slaughter. This statement Is based on an Interview with Commander Mlzzencoff, executive of-fleer of-fleer of thc battleship Poltava up to tho tlmo that vessel was disarmed and who, as already told, headed the party of seven Y tH Russians who left Port Arthur in a sail- boat on December 15 and after cxtremo 1 suffering while crossing in a driving ( snowstorm, arrived hero December 1C, ) bearing dispatches which were turned over to the Russian cnsul for transmission to St, Petersburg. These dispatches. It is understood, con- ( slst partly of a statistical report of tho jH effect of tho Japanese bombardment and IH thoro Is nothing In them to Indicate that IH Goncral Stocsscl Is without hope that tho IH fortress will be able to nold out. IH Siege of 203-Meter Hill. Commander MIzzcneoff. who was wounded In tho leg during tho battle of High hill, sold: "Since tbc Jnpancso on Nov. 2S began their attack on High hill, which they call 203-Mctcr hill, tho fighting has been con- I tlnuous. The steep and sandy slopes of ; thc hill were streaked and dotted with snow when thc Japanese begaa the battle which was destined to furnish no many I deeds of heroism that they became com-monplaco. com-monplaco. Thero was so much slaughter that even Port Arthur's war hardened vet-erans vet-erans shuddered at thc sight. "Tho Japanese wero compelled to clam-ber clam-ber up the slopes of the hill, In many cases without firing, In tho face of one of tho most murderous dclugt ever poured from rifles and machine guns. I was there 1 H and It seemed to me that flesh and blood 1 would be unable to stand our fire for a HjH minute. Went Down in Squads. "The enemy went down In squads and companies, but always there were others grimly coming forward. Their bravery was beyond praise, as was that of our own men. Sometimes the, fighting was hand-to-hand, with the muzzles of tho rlllc3 at the breasts of the contestants, the bayonets being used as swords. The sides IH of the hill were strown with bodjos nnd tho snow was crimsoned with the blood 1 of the wounded, somo of whom had crawled Into It. seeking In Its coldness surcensc for their dying agonies. "Eventually, as In similar Instance-.! I which were to follow, we retired, leaving I the work of driving the enemy from lh I H summit to thc resistless guns of tho neighboring forts, notably those of LlaotI mountain. "Ono Incident of this assault will re-main re-main forever Impressed on my mind. IH Whon tho Japanese standard bearer reached thc summit and planted his Hag, l a gigantic Russian corporal left his re- IH treating comrades nnd rushing back. 1 seized thc Japanese flag, which he wiu IH tearing with Ills hands und his teeth , when he fell, pierced with several bul- Retired Under Artillery Fire. ' When the Japanese retired under an artillery firo the Russians reoccupled th summit. I "Tho second nnd third assaults wero I replicas of the first, although the second jH was the most ferocious, being ncnrl hand-to-hand fighting, in which mercy was neither asked nor given. j "A remarkable incident occurred In the 1 IH third assault as tho Russians, still fac- UiallH lng the oncmy. retro:Ued. A Japanese HjH standard bearer, holding his flag aloft, IH climbed tho pinnacle and fell dead clutch IH lng the colors. In his tracks another aicso with the colors, only to fall in- ' stanlly with a dozen wounds in his bod . Six others followed nnd met tho game IH fale. At last when thc ninth man ap- ' HjH penred, a Russian officer oxclalmcd: I "Don't shoot that fellow with tho flag. 1 It will bo planted anyhow.' "The Japanese adopted a- curious ex- 1 pcdlcnt which assisted them greatly In tho third assault. They had prepared huge plies of wood, coal and cornstalks jH which they Ignited, tho wind being In tho faces of the Russians. Tho" resultant firo wns lmmcnso and the flames and smoke compelled tho Russians to retire. Red Glare and Ghastly Picture. "The red glare from this firo disclosed IH a glinslly pictftre more infernal than UH ever dreamed by Dante. IH "Tho assaults thus far had cost tho Japanese easily 12,000 men, whllo our own jB wero under 2000. Thc sides of tho hill , wero literally covered with dead and wounded. Tho trenches wero rivulets of 'H blood and ovcry visible spot was dyed crimson. " 'We might retake thc hill, said Cten. Stocsscl, 'hut tho hill Is not of sufficient lmportuuco to us to Justify further sacrl-ficc.' sacrl-ficc.' "Since then numerous small engage- . fH ments have been waged, but tho respotu-l-bllltv for keeping the Japaneso from occupying the hill in force or from mount-lng mount-lng guns thereon has been left mnlnly to thc shrupnel fire from other forts. "Evon the Japaneso. who singly use the fH hill to obsorvo thc harbor, do so at great iLH "Following the third assault an nrmls-tlce nrmls-tlce of five hours was agreed upon to bury the dead. "In this task great speed was ueccssarj Tho Japanese undoubtedly mart many awful mistakes, and bevond doubt lif.ips of bodies containing helpless wmmriVd wero shoveled In masses Into the pits and trenches. Tho Jnpanese could not, owing to the darkness and their fevMinh haste, distinguish between the dead nnd (h jH wounded. "Scarcelv an officer participating in tho battle of High hill escaped unhurt, and tH tho proportion of. young officers killed wan very high." jH |