“More than likely it will be Liao-Yang,” answered Ben. “I’ve been told that the Russians have been fortifying that town for a long while, and have great quantities of supplies stored there.”
What Ben said about Liao-Yang was true. The Russians were doing all in their power to make it a great stronghold, and had stored there immense amounts of supplies.
General Kuropatkin, the commander of the Russian army, now had at his command an army of about one hundred and thirty thousand men. The main portion was in the vicinity of Liao-Yang, with detachments as far south as Tashichiano, and as far north as Mukden, all along the all-important railroad.
Towards the end of July, Field Marshal Oyama, Commander-in-chief of all Japanese armies, arrived at Dalny, and at once took general charge of the operation of the war from the Japanese side. A general advance was ordered, both along the railroad and from the east and southeast, the object being not so much to drive General Kuropatkin back as to hem him in, and either annihilate his force, or compel his army to surrender.
The result of those movements brought our young Americans once more to the front. At one of the mountain passes they got into a fierce engagement lasting several hours. The losses to both the Russians and the Japanese were heavy, but luckily both Gilbert and Ben came out of the contest without serious injury.
Marching through the mountain passes in the hot weather was little pleasure, and when it rained the roads were sometimes nothing but a mass of water and mud.
“Bedad, but this is soakin’,” observed Dan Casey, who was now out of the hospital once more. A fine rain was falling and had been for several hours.
“How are you feeling, Dan?” questioned Gilbert, who was close by.
“Oh, I’m almost meself again, captain. But I had a close call. It was good of you to save me as ye did. I’ll not be after forgettin’ it.”
“I was glad to be of service to you. I don’t want to see any of my old friends go down and out in that fashion.”