On the night of the 23rd, the Japanese made the most desperate of all their attacks so far. They made three separate and most determined assaults on Zaredoubt Battery, on the line between it and Big Eagle's Nest, and on Ruchevsky Battery. Though temporarily successful at one or two points, they were finally driven back out of all with shocking slaughter. They then again concentrated a gun-fire on these points, and our men took whatever cover they could find, anxiously awaiting a fourth assault which did not take place. When the sun rose the heaps of corpses in front of the works were revealed. In the heat the smell from them was appalling: even the cotton wool with which our men had plugged their nostrils was not of much avail.
With regard to the firing from the battery on Golden Hill[21] a rather amusing incident occurred. As prematurely bursting iron shells from this battery had somewhat endangered General Stössel he gave orders that it was not to fire. Major-General Biely, commanding the Fortress Artillery, thereupon reported to Smirnoff that the 11-inch howitzers were not to be used, notwithstanding the damage they were doing to the enemy.
'Well, let us go to Stössel,' said Smirnoff; 'you tell him that in future you will use steel shells.'
They accordingly went to the Officer Commanding the District and found him very indignant about the premature bursts of the iron shells.
'May I use steel shells, sir, instead?' asked Biely.
'Will they be all right?'
'Oh, yes.'
'Very well, but are you sure?'
Smirnoff energetically supported Biely and they went out.