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Show CAVALRY ENCOUNTER. Japanese Scattered Like Chaff by the Cossacks. Liao Yansr. Monday. May (Delayed (De-layed in transmission.) The Japanese lost 200 killed and a number of horses in the fight at Vagenfuchu today. The Russians opened fire at 8 in the morning morn-ing and after two hours and a half long range firing, the Japanese, under General Akkiama, prepared to charge and crush the forte, which had been haraseing them for twenty-one days. In the meantime General Samsomorf f was approaching Vagenfuchu with a strong force of cavalry. It was a sig it worth seeing, when, at the word or. command, the Russian squadrons formed and rushed like a whirlwind across the terribly cut up country, clearing away all obstacles, the batteries bat-teries at the eame time trotting along the frightful roads. Having passed the railroad station the troops "came under the fire of the Japanese machine guns, but withdrew without suffering much loss. The fourth and sixth companies com-panies of the Eighth Siberian Cossacks Cos-sacks furiou6ly charged the Japanese cavalry with lances, attacking both flanks. In a few minutes they literally rut the whole squadron into pieces. This was the first time lances were used and they struck terror into the enemy. In some cases the lance pierced the riders through and wounded their horses. Some of the lance? could not be withdrawn from the bodies into which they had entered. The Japanese infantry, numbering four battalions, of 300 men to a company, com-pany, and eight squadrons of cavalry, attempted to advance but the Russian batteries opened and soon the elope up' which the enemy was advancing wis covered with black spots and the enemy was forced to scatter and retire. re-tire. Some of the Japanese cavalry-were cavalry-were wonderfully dashing, charging with shouts upon the Russians, who met and scattered them. A Cossack who had lost his lance and sword wrenched a sword from a Japanese officer and cut off the officer's offi-cer's head. The Cossacks picked up boots which had been taken off by the Japanese in order to facilitate the flight and flourished "them' on their lances ae trophies. The Japanese used the trick of displaying dis-playing dummies, but the Cossacks did not waste a shot on them. General Samsomoff highly praised the practice of the Russian gunners. |