3
The second battery marched on a February frosty night. Arriving from the city at the station Nerchinsk, the gunners immediately loaded the guns onto the platforms, and the sledders introduced the horses into the wagons. The soldiers were trained to work quickly, but they waited for a very long time. The single-track Great Siberian Route was not able to fulfill all the demands made on it by wartime circumstances.
People housed in the frozen greenhouse. Thick steam clubs enveloped every artilleryman; the walls of the cars were covered with hoarfrost. It was ordered not to heat the furnaces until the morning.
Sleep on this night subsided without undressing. In the carriages, they drove by the platoon: from the first day of the march, the old and young soldiers were mixed. The battery was the gunners and rideable life from 1899 to 1904.
Most of all boasted of his seniority sled Semenov. He rode in the same carriage with Podkovin and was arrogant towards the young soldiers.
Hey, recruit, bring boiling water! could be heard from Semenov. Most of all he attacked Konevyazovs orlovtsa, who was with him on the lower tents of the carriage. Semenov kept his head and combed his beard in the same way as Mehmandarov. On the calves, he rolled up a lot of rags so that the tops of his boots seemed as thick as that of the commander. Yearlings scribbled Semenov, saluted him in front. In fact, the figure and straightening of the gunner and the colonel were very similar to each other, but Mehmandarov was black-haired, and Semenov was blond.
Wash the tank! shouted Semenov Podkovin once.
When it is my turn, I will wash it, and today is yours.
Semenov turned purple. He did not expect such resistance. A scientist, a clerk you are still young to disobey.
I do not intend to carry out someones whims.
On, go and wash you, shouted Semenov angrily at the orlovts, learn to live with your elders.
Konevyazov and Podkovin met their eyes.
Today I will not go. Im busy. See, Ill fix my uniform, he answered. Enough Doing a favor, and you have one conceit.
Ill show you arrogance! shouted Semenov.
Than to shout, lets go to Feldwebel right now, said Podkovin. During the war, we are all equal. Everyone is responsible for their work.
Remembering the reprimand received by Osipov for Podkovin, Semenov became quiet, but his eyes remained evil.
The soldiers of the second battery almost did not see Manchuria. Their train followed more at night, while in the daytime it stood for long hours at minor stations and deaf journeys. This was done on purpose away from the wine shops where vodka was sold for sixteen kopecks per bottle.
In Harbin, a military train was inspected by an inspector. The gunners were dressed in new uniforms, forced to tie the underbelly. There was a thaw. Podkovin tried to go to the city, look for the Willows, but the inspection review prevented him.
Chapter seven
one
The train stopped early in the morning at the small station Nanguin. As soon as the doors of the cars were opened, the gunners heard the command;
Get up! Get ready for unloading!.. Arrived at the theater of operations.
The last words of the team spurred the soldiers. They rose as one. Everyone tried to look out of the car. All saw only the stone building of the station. On the platform stood one railroad attendant. It was quiet. Cool air burst into the cars. The sun illuminated the tops of the nearby mountains. Their gray, bare slopes struck the Siberians with their lifelessness: no forest, not even a bush. Desert terrain stretched around.
Podkovin, having heard the name of the station, said:
From here, about two hours to Port Arthur and three quarters of an hour to the city of Far. Nangualine junction station.
And all he knows! growled Semenov.
How can I, uncle Semenov, not know if I was here last year?
The Gunners approached Podkovin to listen to his story about these places.
What kind of theater is this war?! disappointedly handed orlovets. We are again at home, in our land. Kwantung, I heard, was rented by us from the Chinese for ninety-nine years.
2
During February, the Japanese squadron stayed close to Port Arthur, trying to paralyze the exits of our large ships from the harbor. Russian pursued failures. The mine transport Yenisei and the handsome cruiser Boyar died. Both ran into their mines and submerged ships. Heroically fought the destroyer Steregushchy one against four Japanese destroyers and two cruisers. In an unequal battle, the Russian sailors put up courageous resistance. The destroyer Imposing, surrounded by Japanese cruisers, had to be thrown onto the stones.
Portartur depressed and waited for the Japanese landing near the fortress. Ground troops were transferred from one coast of the peninsula to the other. At the station Nanguin was duty train loaded with infantry and artillery.
During these days there have been some regrouping in parts of the troops. The first and second batteries of the Trans-Baikal Artillery Division were included in the fourth artillery East Siberian Brigade. The commander of the second battery was the colonel Laperov, who had arrived in the Far East, and Mehmandarov assumed command of the seventh artillery battalion.
Chapter eight
one
The second battery is located on the outskirts of the semi-neglected village of Nanguin. The well-to-do villagers left the north from the very first days of the war, having left their homes. The gunners are located in the empty fanzah. Daytime, from sunrise to sunset, was held in intensive study with guns and on trips to the surrounding fields and hills. For a short period, the entrances to all promontories and coves located near Nangualin station were studied.
The Kwantung Peninsula is filled with short mountain chains of considerable height. Their slopes are steep and cut by valleys of mountain streams and streams. A close examination of the Kvantun relief can be established that the main mountain spurs on it stretch not along but across, forming several natural barriers. The Tafashinsky heights should be considered the first barrier, and the largest group of mountains, connected to the Perebali range, which starts from the village of Longvantan on the Korean Gulf beret, stretches northward through Mount Huinsan and further through a series of heights to Mount Yupilasa, ending with a chain of hills at Hecy Bay. In front of the gates to Arthur there is also a barrier called the Wolf Mountains, separated from the Perevali range by the valley of the River Tahe and the plain that reaches the Ten Ships Bay. Significant heights in the last barrier are Xiaogushan and Fenhoanshan.
The slopes of the Kwangtung Mountains are treeless and stony, and the peaks often protrude toward the sky with separate rocks and stone teeth, forming natural walls similar to cock combs.
During the drought period, the Kvantuna river becomes very small, but in rainy time they turn into violently flowing streams. Most of the Kwantung roads pass through their valleys, and sometimes the riverbeds.