Pit Workers in the Old Days #16: Pictures in the Show Box #9 (Lushun: Port Arthur)
1958 - 1963

Mukashi no Yamabito #16: Nozoki #9 (Ryojun)
[Pit Workers in the Old Days #16: Pictures in the Show Box #9 (Lushun: Port Arthur)]
21.0 x 30.0 cm Ink Painting

It took the Imperial Japanese army only one day to occupy the fortress of Lushun during the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894. However, it took them as long as 10 months to occupy the same fortress during the Russo-Japanese War, suffering huge casualties. General Nogi leading the Japanese Third Army struggled hard with the Russian army day after day until the enemy commander General Stoessel surrendered, showing the flag of truce. The Shirodasuki storm troops as suicide corps attacked the fortress in vain, and were almost annihilated. In this difficult situation, each Japanese regiment began to cut a trench to advance to the enemy position. Each trench was cut in a zigzag 2 meters deep and 1.8 meters wide. The dirt was scooped and heaped up on both sides of the trench. These trenches were driven as long as 6,000 meters or more. They were linked to each other with seven transverse trenches. Japanese soldiers drove on the trenches, fighting and building defensive walls of 3/8-inch-thick steel plates with 3-and-a-half-inch-square holes. The trenches were changed to tunnels from the line near the Northern Battery. The battles in the tunnels were also famous. The main body of the Third Army was the 11th Marugame Division from Shikoku accompanied by another two divisions.

Text in the Inset
Ryojun: Lushun (Port Arthur)
Captain Sakurai was injured in the battle at the Northern Battery.

The Third Army led by General Nogi consisted of the 1st, 9th, and 11th Divisions. Later the 7th Division joined them. They began to deliver their third all-out attack on the Russian fortress on November 26, 1904, and occupied 203 Meter Hill on December 5th, Chibanshan on December 6th, and the whole fortress on January 1, 1905.

Names of Batteries and a Fort
Isuzan Hodai: Yizishan [Itse Shan] Battery
Kita Hodai: Northern Battery
Niryuzan Hodai: Erlongshan [Erh Lung Shan] Battery
Keikanzan Horui: Fort Jiguanshan [Chi Kwan Shan]


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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