The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-04-04


anese soldiers In January are
brought by steamer from Aomori, the
terminus Of the Tokaido Railway north
Of Toxic. A detachment OF 2l3 troops
under command Of Major Yamaguchi.
set out from their garrison at Hirosaki
for winter march over the mountains
10 TOshlkimura on an expedition TN
dertaken TO demonstrate measures
necessary 10 transport military bag
/ gage through the snow. The detach-
ment was caught in a snowstorm. and
as further progress was impossible they
! blyouacked. With the exception OF
| Captain Kaninarl, Major Yamaguchi,
| Captain Karaishl, Lieutenant Ito and
! two non-cOmr1issloned officers ard four
p-lvates, the troop was lost, come being
| frozen 10 dcati and others buried In
! The deep snow.
They left the garrison on January
%, and as not n man returned next
day an inquiry was instituted. and on
the 9th the terrible fate Of the detach.
ment was learned. The entire Fifth
Regiment, Of which the misslLg dctach.
ment was the second battalion. and the
towrspeoplc Of IIirosaki organized n
ccarchng party, and on tie morning
Of the 2sth Captain Kaminari and two
scrgeants were found in a precariOu3
condition lying I'm the snow three miles
from the town Cf Aomori. whore they
had struggled to carry the news Of the
disaster and been prostratcd
When revived they told how the de-
tachment had been overtakel Ly the
storm soon after starting. They had
reached Tomoliino with difficulty, and
II was found Impossible TO proceed fur
ther. It was decided TO camp, but the
men were snort OF fuel, for freg AMI
ratons were carried for two days only.
1t was found impossible for the whole
force to move In ono body and MajCr
Yamaguchi ordered his men - break
up into small parties, which was done.
The snow had fallen so deep that the
troops could not use their glcighs, and
had to carry their outfits and goods in
packs through the snow.
On the 2ith forty-one men were miss
ing from the main body and scouting
parties sent to seek them were also
lost. The snow was very deep, AMI
the Thermometer registered twenty de-
grecs below zero. At night the detCch-
mcnt blvCuacked H. two bodies, and
next morning when the march was re-
sumed the track was lost. one by one
the nen fell exhausted In the snow,
which was Il grave TO many. Others
fell out and made fires Of their haver-
sacks. the stocks of their rifles and eX-
ira clothing in the attempt to keep
alive. The terrible march kept taking
It's victims until all were down In the
snow.
a sergeant and three priyatcs were
found In a charcoal burners hut where
they were lying on the floor exhausted
Captain Kaminari was found where he
and two others had tried to make a fire
while struggling toward Aomori for as
slstance. Captain Karaishi was discov-
cred standing i'm snow to his breast
lie told resCuerS that Major Yama.
guchi and others were somewhere In
the ncighborhood, and ne ordered tic
roscucrs TO leave him and search for
them. While some of the soldiers car.
ried the captain away others found the
major and Lieutenant Ito near a rock
n little below where the captain had
been caught IN the sncw.
Major Yanaguchi was sitting Amid
seven dead soldiers and Lieutenant Ito
! lay unconscious near by. Tie major
was wearing two blankets over his
shoulder and another strapped about
/ his waist, having evidently been put
| there by the men who were eager to
/ save their commander
! The men We're at first enable TO lift
! their commander. as his body was fro.
! zen 10 the ground \ hatchet was used
! to cut of thc blankets and ovcrcoats
! before lc could be taken To an amhu-
! lance. The major who was in a veal;
state and could hardly articulatc shed
tears and told the rescue party that the
| only reason he wished To live was so
that he could place full report of the
! disaster before the military authorities.
The selfsaCriiicc of these troops who
were dying in such terril lc circum-
/ stances was shown again and again.
Instances were told ty the survivors of
how the men had carried their COM
manding officer. when he became un-
conscious To the best shelter avail
able by the large rock, and seven ha
died beside him after burning thei: cx-
ira clothing Il supply warmth.
At point 700 mct-cS from Yesukino-
mort the bodies of Lieutenant Nakauo
and eight men were taken from the
snow. Only portion OF their caps and
ovcrcoats was visible. When they
were discovered they were all lying on
their backs with folded arms and their
eyes were open. In no case were any
gloves or shoes found on their bodies,
nor were there any rifles or haversacks
near by. These had been burned. Cor.
poral Gatos was found near by buried
II the waist in the snow, and c.Xty
feet from Corporal Gatos's body the
body of Captain Man,nari was found
under four feet of snOw. When tuc
out his face was covered with ice ard
his body was cold. When rcstorativcs
were applied the captain slowed signs
of ilfc but died without rcgSining con
sci BUSINESS.
With Brigand Captors.
-. -.