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Action of 22 March 1904
Part of the Russo-Japanese War
Date 22 March 1904 Location Pigeon Bay,Port Arthur, Russian Dalian Result Minor Russian Victory
Belligerents
Empire of Japan	Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Vice Admiral Nashiba Tokioki	Stepan Makarov
Strength
2 pre-dreadnought battleships 2 divisions of destroyers
Casualties and losses
none reported	5 killed 9 wounded

The Action of 22 March 1904 or the Fifth Attack on Port Arthur was a naval engagment fought between Russian and Japanese forces during the Russo-Japanese War. On Fuji and Yashima attempt to attack the Russian fleet in port, shelling it at long range, but the Russian fleet returns fire and the Japanese withdrew after the Russian battleship Retvizan hit Fuji with a 12 inch shell.

Background

Admiral Makarov had arrived in Port Arthur to take command of the Russian Pacific Fleet on March 8, 1904. Marakov began taking a more active approach towards the Pacific Fleets operations.

Engagement

At 2 A.M on 22 March 1904, two divisions of Japanese destroyers approached the roadstead of Port Arthur and were sighted by the Russian gunboats Bobr and Otvajny as well as by Russian shore batteries guarding the roadstead. The Russian gunboats and shore batteries engaged the Japanese destroyers for 20 minutes, after which the Japanese destroyers withdrew, taking little damage. A third division of Japanese destroyers approached the roadstead at 4 A.M. and was likewise driven away by gunfire from the Russian gunboats and shore batteries. At 6:30 A.M., the main body of the Japanese fleet came within sight of Port Arthur, and the Japanese battleships Fuji and Yashima were detached to conduct a bombardment of Port Arthur's inner harbor beyond visual range over the hills of Cape Liautishan. The Russian battleship Retvizan opened fire on the Fuji and Yashima at 9:20 A.M. with shells falling near the Japanese vessels but landing no hits. At 9:40 AM, the Japanese began their bombardment, firing 100 shells the harbor and 108 at the forts guarding it. The Russian fleet took no hits, but the Russian barracks on Tiger's Tail was struck causing 14 casualties. While the Japanese were shelling Port Arthur, the Russian fleet began forming a battle line in the roadstead, but due to the narrow entrance to the harbor could only sail one ship at a time out of the channel. The Japanese Second division then moved in to confront the Russian fleet. Around this time, the Retvizan scored a hit on Fuji with a 305 millimeter shell, and the Japanese fleet broke off the engagement.

Aftermath

The Japanese bombardment cause little or no damage to either the Russian battle fleet, with the sole Russian casualties being the 14 Russians killed and wounded at the Tiger's Tail barracks. Admiral Togo's official report stated that no Japanese ship was damaged in the engagement, but other sources state that the Japanese battleship Fuji was withdrawn to Sasebo for repairs..