The 3rd Battalion had to bear the brunt of the retreat from Lao-tso Shan, since, as had been expected, the mixed companies on the right flank did not distinguish themselves when it came to fighting.
On July 20 my 2nd Battalion was directed to go to 11th Verst station[41] to the headquarters of the 4th Division, and there it went accordingly, under the command of Major Stempnevski (jun.).
When the enemy began his decisive attack on the 26th, I was moved up with the 1st Battalion, which was then commanded by Major Stempnevski (sen.), a splendid all-round officer. I arrived with my battalion in the morning and found all our commanders with the divisional staff—Generals Stessel, Fock, and Kondratenko. The battle was raging along the whole line.
As all the positions were divided into sections, and each section had its commander, I was free to become a spectator of all that was going on. We went by train to 11th Verst, and had only just got down out of the carriages, when the 1st Scout Detachment, under Lieutenant Kostoushko, was ordered to move on Yu-pi-la-tzu Hill, where the defenders had been decimated by the ceaseless artillery fire.
The 1st Battalion was then moved to the Shipinsin Pass, where, judging by the artillery fire, a determined attack was in preparation, and only our 7th and 8th Companies were left with the regimental staff.
General Fock directed the whole defence.
The fighting of July 26 and 27 did not cost us very dearly, except for severe wounds received by Lieutenant Kostoushko (a wound in the chest, and a number of other wounds in the left shoulder and side). This officer had thrown himself, with a part of his scouts, on the enemy, who had already seized some of our trenches on Yu-pi-la-tzu Hill. This was on the night of July 27–28.
Towards evening on the 26th, General Stessel had sent a telegram to the town saying that all the attacks of the Japanese had been unsuccessful that day.
On the 27th the battle was again renewed along the whole line. Lao-tso Shan was swept by the fire of very heavy guns—probably 6-inch, judging from the size of the shell bursts. It was very difficult for our artillery to cope with these guns, as they were not only very far off, but also well concealed.
Having nothing to do, I went to my 1st Battalion, which was drawn up as a reserve on the declivity of the Shipinsin Pass. Scarcely any shells burst near us; they all went “over,” shattering the rocky sides of a ravine lying behind.