翻刻
前進せしむ蓋(けだ)し此縦隊の編成(へんせい)は右翼縦隊(うよくじゆうたい)、独立騎兵大隊(どくりつきへいだいたい)第一師団歩
兵、混成旅団及び攻城砲廠(こうじやうはうしやう)にして金州の本道より進み又左翼縦隊は
歩兵第十四聯隊、騎兵一小隊、山砲一中隊、工兵一小隊、衛生隊半部を属(ぞく)
して益満中佐之れを率(ひき)ゐて所謂(いはゆる)捷路(せふろ)を取(と)りて旅順の東北面に進む、
騎兵一大隊は秋山少佐之れを率ゐて独立隊として金州城の前面に
於て予(あらかじ)め敵情(てきじやう)の偵察(ていさつ)に従事(じゆうじ)せしむ、十八日西少将の前隊に先だち午
前一時頃土城子に到(いた)り同十時徐家屯に達(たつ)するや水師営の方面より
敵の歩騎兵数千の来るに会(あ)ふ爰(こゝ)に始(はじ)めて戦(たゝかひ)を開きしが敵勢(てきせい)益々(ます〳〵)加(くは)
りて遂(つい)に我騎兵隊は敵の囲中(ゐちゆう)に陥(おちい)り衆寡(しゆうくわ)敵(てき)し難(がた)きを知り苦戦(くせん)して
漸(ようや)く一方の血路(けつろ)を開き双台溝の方向に退却(たいきやく)せりこの時前隊の歩兵
一大隊の二個中隊は其 後方(こうはう)半里許(はんりばかり)の処に在て騎兵の苦戦を見るや
亦衆寡敵すべからざるを知るも騎兵の退却を助(たす)けんが爲めに突進(とつしん)
して猛烈(もうれつ)の射撃(しやげき)を爲せり然れ共敵は凡そ三千の大兵を以て我中隊
を囲(かこ)みしを以て我歩兵も亦(また)頗(すこぶ)る苦戦(くせん)せしも利(り)あらず是於て騎兵
は亦歩兵中隊の苦戦に陥(おち)いりしを助(たす)けんものとて浅川大尉は僅に
廿四騎を以て群(むらが)る敵中に突入(とつにふ)し抜刀(ばつとう)を以て縦横無尽(じゆうわうむじん)に奮闘(ふんたう)し直ち
に敵の七騎を討取(うちと)り其他(そのた)腕(うで)を斬落(きりおと)され頭(あたま)を割(わ)られて逃(にぐ)る者多し我
騎兵も五名 負傷(ふしやう)し浅川大尉も亦 腕(うで)及び肩(かた)に傷(きづ)を負(お)へり中満中尉之
れに死(し)す我兵(わがへい)支(さゝ)へ難(がた)きを以て騎兵と共に退却(たいきやく)し双台溝南部の高地(かうち)
に拠(よ)れり先頭(せんとう)の一大隊が砲声(はうせい)を聞(きゝ)て応援(おうゑん)のため急進(きふしん)して双台溝の
南方に達(たつ)せし頃(ころ)は我歩騎兵とも敵に追窮(つゐきう)せられて苦戦中(くせんちゆう)なりしか
ば大隊は直ちに兵を開展(かいてん)して敵に当る此時敵は我(わが)陳列(ぢんれつ)を距(さ)る凡そ
二千 米突(メートル)の高地に山砲四門を備(そな)へ三千余の歩兵も亦此処に在りし
を大隊は一 撃(げき)の下(もと)に之れを退(しりぞ)けり西少将の前衛(ぜんゑい)本隊(ほんたい)の山砲を此処
に達せし頃は敵既に退却(たいきやく)したるを以て更(さら)に騎兵をして追撃(つゐげき)せしめ
たるも日既に暮(く)れんとするを以て我兵も亦之れを追窮(つゐきう)せずして背(はい)
進(しん)せり毎度(まいど)の事(こと)ながら清兵の残忍(ざんにん)なる我戦死者の頭を断(た)ち手を切(きり)
落(おと)し腹を割(さ)きて腸(ちやう)を出し土石を塡(つめ)るなど残酷(ざんこく)至(いたら)ざる所なきを見て
現代語訳
前進させた。この縦隊の編成は、右翼縦隊(独立騎兵大隊・第一師団歩兵・混成旅団および攻城砲廠)が金州の本道より進み、また左翼縦隊は歩兵第十四聯隊・騎兵一小隊・山砲一中隊・工兵一小隊・衛生隊半部を配属して、益満中佐がこれを率いて、いわゆる近道(捷路)を取って旅順の東北面へと進んだ。騎兵一大隊は秋山少佐がこれを率いて独立隊として、金州城の前面においてあらかじめ敵情の偵察に従事させた。
十八日、西少将の前隊に先立ち、午前一時頃に土城子に到着し、同日十時に徐家屯に達したところ、水師営の方面より敵の歩騎兵数千が来るのに遭遇した。ここに初めて戦闘を開いたが、敵勢はますます増加し、ついに我が騎兵隊は敵の包囲の中に陥り、多勢に無勢で敵し難いことを知り、苦戦の末にようやく一方に血路を開いて双台溝の方向へ退却した。
この時、前隊の歩兵一大隊のうち二個中隊は、その後方およそ半里ほどの地点にいて騎兵の苦戦を見るや、やはり多勢に無勢で敵うべくないとは知りながらも、騎兵の退却を助けるために突進して猛烈な射撃を行った。しかし敵はおよそ三千の大兵をもって我が中隊を包囲したため、我が歩兵もまた頗る苦戦したが、戦果を得ることができなかった。
そこで騎兵もまた歩兵中隊が苦戦に陥ったのを助けようとして、浅川大尉はわずか二十四騎をもって群がる敵中に突入し、抜刀して縦横無尽に奮闘し、直ちに敵の七騎を討ち取り、その他にも腕を斬り落とされ、頭を割られて逃げる者が多くいた。我が騎兵も五名が負傷し、浅川大尉もまた腕および肩に傷を負った。中満中尉はこの戦闘で戦死した。
我が兵は支えきれないとして、騎兵とともに退却し、双台溝南部の高地に拠った。先頭の一大隊が砲声を聞いて応援のために急進し、双台溝の南方に達した頃には、我が歩騎兵とも敵に追い詰められて苦戦中であったため、大隊は直ちに兵を展開して敵に当たった。
この時、敵は我が陣列からおよそ二千メートルの高地に山砲四門を備え、三千余の歩兵もまたそこにいたが、大隊は一撃のもとにこれを退けた。西少将の前衛本隊の山砲がここに到達した頃には、敵はすでに退却していたため、さらに騎兵をして追撃させたが、日がすでに暮れようとしていたため、我が兵もまたこれを追い詰めることなく前進を続けた。
毎度のことながら、清兵の残忍さには、我が戦死者の頭を切り落とし、手を切り落とし、腹を割いて腸を取り出し、土や石を詰め込むなど、残酷の極みというほかなく、これを見て……
英語訳
[The troops were ordered to] advance. The composition of these columns was as follows: the right-wing column consisted of the Independent Cavalry Battalion, the 1st Division Infantry, the Mixed Brigade, and the Siege Artillery Depot, advancing along the main road from Jinzhou. The left-wing column was placed under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Masumitsu, comprising the 14th Infantry Regiment, one cavalry platoon, one mountain artillery company, one engineer platoon, and half a medical unit; these troops took the so-called shortcut route and advanced toward the northeastern face of Port Arthur. One cavalry battalion under Major Akiyama operated as an independent unit, tasked in advance with reconnoitering enemy positions in front of Jinzhou Castle.
On the 18th, advancing ahead of Major General Nishi's vanguard, [the troops] arrived at Tuchengzi at around 1 o'clock in the morning, and upon reaching Xujiatum at 10 o'clock the same day, they encountered several thousand enemy infantry and cavalry coming from the direction of Shuishiying. Battle was joined here for the first time. However, enemy strength grew ever greater, and our cavalry unit eventually found itself surrounded by the enemy. Recognizing that they were heavily outnumbered, our forces fought desperately and finally managed to cut a path through in one direction, retreating toward Shuangtaigou.
At this time, two companies of the one-battalion vanguard infantry were positioned approximately half a *ri* (about 2 km) to the rear, and upon witnessing the cavalry's desperate struggle, though they knew they too were vastly outnumbered, they charged forward and unleashed fierce rifle fire in order to cover the cavalry's retreat. However, as the enemy surrounded our companies with a force of approximately three thousand troops, our infantry also found themselves in an extremely desperate battle and could make no headway.
Thereupon, the cavalry in turn sought to rescue the infantry companies now fallen into desperate straits. Captain Asakawa, with a mere twenty-four horsemen, charged into the massed enemy, drew his saber, and fought with complete abandon. He immediately cut down seven of the enemy's horsemen, while many others fled with arms severed and heads gashed open. Five of our cavalrymen were also wounded, and Captain Asakawa himself suffered wounds to his arm and shoulder. Lieutenant Nakamitsu was killed in action during this engagement.
Finding it impossible to hold their position, our troops retreated together with the cavalry and took up a position on the high ground in the southern part of Shuangtaigou. By the time the lead battalion, having heard the sound of artillery, rushed forward to render assistance and reached the southern area of Shuangtaigou, both our infantry and cavalry were in the midst of desperate fighting, being pressed hard by the enemy. The battalion therefore immediately deployed its troops and engaged the enemy.
At this point, the enemy had positioned four mountain artillery pieces on high ground approximately two thousand meters from our battle line, with over three thousand infantry also present there; yet the battalion drove them back with a single decisive blow. By the time the mountain artillery of Major General Nishi's vanguard main force reached the scene, the enemy had already retreated. Cavalry was dispatched to pursue them, but as the sun was already setting, our troops also refrained from pressing the pursuit and continued their advance.
As had been the case on every occasion, the cruelty of the Qing soldiers was on full display: they cut off the heads of our fallen soldiers, severed their hands, sliced open their abdomens, removed their intestines, and stuffed the cavities with earth and stones — a degree of savagery that knew no bounds. Upon witnessing this…