three o'clock in the afternoon
Then followed hand-to-hand fighting of the most ferocious and sanguinary character , which lasted all night . Morning found the assailants still in possession of the trench which had been won ; and now , strongly reinforced , the Japanese proceeded to push forward to attack the summit and Akasakayama battery . Immediately , the Russian guns in the neighbouring forts opened fire upon the stormers with shrapnel and heavy shell , and in a very few minutes the entire scene was so completely veiled in powder smoke that it was impossible for anyone to tell exactly how the fight was going . Four times the Japanese stormed the crest and were beaten back ; and it was not until three o'clock in the afternoon , when they delivered their fifth assault , that they at last burst through the wire entanglements and reached the crest . For a time they held it ; but the Russian fire was too hot for them , and at length they were not only driven off the crest but also out of the trench which they had won on the previous night . The attack was resumed the next day , and again resulted in failure . Then the Japanese Staff put its foot down and declared that both hills _ must _ be taken , at all costs !