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CANCAN 69
When this was accomplished, the two divisions
were to make a combined assault on Wantai fort
on the top of the high double-peaked hill, which
formed the principal object of the Japanese
attack.
Through the lower slopes of the East Panlung
hill a large donga leads zigzag half way up to the
fort. From the Japanese lines the advance to
the entrance of the donga was easy, and could be
made, save for the last hundred yards or so, under
complete shelter of the before-mentioned low
ridge in the centre of Shuishi valley. The donga
itself was partly under Russian fire, but shelter
could be found everywhere behind the windings of
its steep sides, so that quite a considerable force
might be drawn up here and kept ready for the
final rush. But from the exit of the donga up to
the glacis, defended by a double row of wire en-
tanglements, and across this to the walls of the
fort, the troops would be exposed to a terrible fire
not only from East Panlung but also from the
neighbouring forts, especially from North Kikuan
and West Panlung. To cover this distance
would be practically an impossible feat, unless
the defenders could be so kept in check by
shrapnel fire that they would be unable to fire a
shot or man a gun without courting immediate
death. Hence the reason why the guns sent their
rain of bullets and splinters over the forts so
incessantly and so mercilessly.
The commander of the gth Division detailed
his left brigade (the 6th) under Major-General
Ichinobe to make the attack against East Pan-
lung, and he again ordered the 7th regiment to
make the first assault. The gallant commander
of the famous 7th, Colonel Ouchi, decided to
place two of his battalions in the first line, the
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