Lieut. Gen. Oshima on his way to the war

Lieut. Gen. Oshima on his way to the war

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Lieutenant General Oshima was the commander of the Ninth Division of the Japanese Army in front of Port Arthur. This picture was taken just as he was about to enter the tent where his staff was waiting for him to pass judgment on a number of problems in connection with the projective assault of October 29, 1904, the third grand assault on the redoubt of the Two Dragons (Ehrlungshan) of bloody memory. The plans were well laid, and officers and soldiers, hundreds of them, gladly died, that their comrades over their bodies might creep on to victory, which was finally won at this point, although one terrible blunder had been made. The east moat below the very parapet of the redoubt was so cleverly constructed that the Japanese had no idea of its existence until they came upon it in the second assault, barring further progress. In the third assault the bamboo ladders which they brought proved too short to reach across, and much loss of life occurred before they could tie two and two together.

1 stereograph. 2 photomechanical prints on stereo card : halftone, stereograph, color ; 9 x 18 cm

1905 Ingersoll, T.W.

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