The Japanese, for the most part, have been operating in hilly country, and know better than the Russians how to occupy a ravine with advantage to themselves. The Russians on more than one occasion have sent squads of cavalry up these narrow defiles, only to be annihilated by the Japanese infantry. Certain detachments of the Independent Tenth Division, a portion of the Takushan army, are stated to be adepts in trapping small bodies of Russian troops, and to have accomplished some brilliant feats, on a small scale, during their advance through the Ta-tung-ling pass. Before the end of July Baron Kawamura had sufficient forces at his disposal to warrant an attack on the Russian force, consisting of about seven batteries and three battalions of infantry, in strongly entrenched positions on hills commanding the pass near To-mu-cheng. The tactics were those ordinarily employed by the Japanese: the main body of the army made a frontal attack on the formidable defensive works the Russians had constructed during the summer months on the heights. The left wing made a simultaneous attack on the outlying positions to the west, and deposed the Russians on the hill, a thousand feet high, before eight o’clock. The Russians brought up reinforcements of artillery, which the left wing, further strengthened, repulsed by heavy gun fire before three in the afternoon. The main body deposed the Russians from the first position by eleven in the morning, but could not proceed farther until the heavy cannonading from the Russian positions to the west slackened. The Russians, again reinforced, assumed the offensive during the afternoon, but were repulsed with great loss. The night was passed by both armies facing each other at close range. Meanwhile, the successes of the left wing compelled the Russians to withdraw under cover of the darkness, and fall back to Haicheng. This strongly fortified position, the second line of defence to the main position at Liaoyang, was now quite untenable, for the Takushan army had its guns already in position on the heights above the town, and an open road through the pass. General Oku, with the second army, was also pressing the Russian forces covering the retreat of the Russian main army from Tashichiao, so no attempt was made to defend either Haicheng or Anshantien, to the north of it, and the Russians hurriedly took up their strongest defensive position at Liaoyang. The prompt and successful operations of the Takushan army hastened the Russian retreat, and caused them to abandon large quantities of stores and railway material. The Takushan army in the attacks on the Russian positions near To-mucheng lost 8 officers and 168 men, and had 24 officers and 642 men wounded. Some 700 Russian bodies were buried, and the total casualties must have exceeded 2,000 of all ranks. Six guns were abandoned, with supplies of ammunition, provisions, and clothing.