sians regarded it as impregnable. The
merely natural difficulties of the adventure were great, for, as its
name indicates, it was a lofty hill, with steep, almost precipitous
slopes, to scale which, even unopposed, was no light task. But when to
this difficulty was added the further one that the hill had two summits,
each crowned by very strong earthworks constructed of sand-bags, timber
and steel rails, connected by tunnels with bomb-proof works on the rear
slope, and that it was further protected by two lines of trenches,
themselves protected by strong barbed wire entanglements, and that the
works on the summit mounted several machine-guns and some heavier pieces
of artillery, the reader may be able to form some slight idea of the
obstacles which the Japanese undertook to surmount, as well as the
indomitable courage which possessed them to make the attempt.

It must not be supposed, however, that the attack was about to be made
on the spur of the moment and without any previous preparation. On the
contrary; for two whole months the Japanese had been steadily sapping
from the north and north-west, day and night, in face of the most
vigorous and determined opposition on the part of the Russians, first
constructing a parallel about a hundred yards from the first line of
Russian trenches, and, from this parallel, driving saps which pierced
the wire entanglements and in two places reached to within fifty yards
of the Russian line. And while this was being done, four of the new
Japanese 11-inch howitzers concentrated their fire upon the works on the
twin summits of the hill.

The assault was ordered for the evening of 27th November. Supported by
a heavy bombardment from the howitzers and batteries in their rear, the
troops chosen for the assault broke cover and rushed the first line of
Russian trenches, bayoneting the occupants almost before the latter had
time to open fire upon them. Then followed hand-to-hand fighting of the
most ferocious and sanguinary character, which lasted all night.
Morning found the assailants still in possession of the trench which had
been won; and now, strongly reinforced, the Japanese proceeded to push
forward to attack the summit and Akasakayama battery. Immediately, the
Russian guns in the neighbouring forts opened fire upon the stormers
with shrapnel and heavy shell, and in a very few minutes the entire
scene was so completely veiled in powder smoke that it was impossible
for anyone