Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-06
report is current. but it seems to have no
basis in fact.
The Retreat to Mukden.

The Retreat to Mukden.
MUKDEN, September G. LAO p.m.-The
retreat of Gen. Kuropa tkin's army is being
carried out in good order, despite the ter
rible condition of the roads, rendered sod
den by the rains which fell yesterday and
today which mire the numbering guns and
heavy transport trains. Long lines of COM
m!ssariat wagons, drawn by steaming
mules, horses and even bullocks are strain
ing their way north over the soaking, cut
up main road from Yentai. Behind them
come long trains of artillery and back OF
them still Kuropatkin'S army.
The Japanese are hanging on kuropat-
kin's fanks, keeping the Russians engaged
in continuous guard action The
progress of the retreatng army has been
slow. owing to the necessity of first getting
through the baggage and guns; but, the
heads of the commissariat trains already
have passed through Mukden and are con-
tinuing their way toward the north.
A Race for Mukden.
The main Japanese army is marching up
along the roads eastward of the Russian
lines of retreat, which converge al Mukden.
Another japanese force is also heading for
Mukden from the westward coming from
the direction of the Lao river.
Marshal Oyama seems to be making
for Mukden. He evidently has great
superiority in numbers, especially in
tillery.
AS this dispatch was fled the correspond
ent of the Associated Press could hear the
booming of the japanese cannon. which are
in play fourteen miles from Mukden.
The skies are black and the air is sitting
with the sense of suffocation which is felt
here before a storm breaks-strange har-
mony between the elements and the men
acing attitude of the contending armies
Attack on stakelberg's Corps.
The following message, describing the
earlier events of the japanese attack on
Gen. Stakelberg's corps, southwest of Lao
yang, August 80. was written on the battle
field by NJ. Kiriloff. one of the Associated
Press Russian correspondents and sent to
Mukden for transmission Just before the
correspondent was shot through the lungs:
rms morning around Liaoyang guns
Numbered increasingly. The heights form
ing semi-circle around the city were dot
ted with jets of fame and little black and
white clouds. The spectacle was clearly
visible from the water tower of Liaoyang
The Russian left alone was not engaged
At am. the correspondent rode to the
concentrating in an attempt to break
through, and climbed the neighboring
heights. following detachment sent to re-
iieve the skirmishers who had been cover
ing the battery commanded by Pokotiloff.
one of the heroes of Kiuiencheng. The
Japanese, according to custom. We're she'll
ing places W here they believed the Russian
reserves We're loca ted. Before the corre-
spondent could reach the battery he had
to cross a danger zone of 100 yards pro-
Jectiles falling and bursting on 1t until the
very ground seemed to quiver with wrath
There was a touching scene when the
sklrmlSherS We're reached. A Russian SOL
der met a brother whom he had last seen
In their native village. There were joyous
greetings and quick exchange of news
from home. Then each went his way and
settled down to the work of firing coolly
and deliberately. The japanese fire was
spasmodic. Their bullets sang like birds
as they sped overhead. and the Russians
cracked jokes about it.
Slaughter of the Gunners.
1.-TWO hours later the correspondent reach
ed the battery and found that Pokotiloff and
another officer, Costroff had been killed
Out of sixty gunners forty We're killed or
wounded Capt. Tarasoff was in charge of
the battery. His quiet courtesy recalled the
hero of one of Count Tostoi's novels Fifty
yards away was splendd-looking gunner,
whose duty it was TO record the success or
failure of each shot, the grim song of death
with deadly messengers hurting all around
him; but the Russian gunner stood erect
and utterly without needing the danger to
which he was exposed
The Russian officers had not eaten any,
thing since the previous day and the cor
respondent shared with them what pro-
visions he had. The taste of food caused
them to realize the intensity of their hun
ger. Prudence urged the correspondent to
leave the spot, but he was fascinated"
A Heroic Correspondent.
Here the message ended. The officer who
sent NJ. Kirilof's last dispatch added: m
kiriloff. who was an enthusiast in his
work. had gained universal respect and
sympathy. He shot through the right
lung while standing by our battery. and fell
back suffering intense agony the blood
squirting from his mouth. Yet his devotion
to duty enabled him to overcome his suf-
ferings He insisted upon being placed on a
horse so that he could get to Liaoyang and
file his dispatch 1t took him five hours to
cover the five and a half miles to Liaoyang
When he reached there NJ. Krioff was so
exhausted and weak from loss of blood that
we got him into the hospital, although
against his protest. He asked me to com
piete his message for him. l am a soldier
and no writer, but | will say that after the
aW1ul hght today we are still holding our
positions. japanese bodies bestrew all the
heights. Their losses must run into the
tens of thousands. We have lost 5000 thus
far a shrapnel shell burst two PAGES from
Gen. Stakelberg twho remained for fifteen
hours under fire.. killing two officers. The
general was slightly wounded in the leg"
Russians Still at Yentai.
TOKYO, September cit is officially an
nounced that portion of the Russian force
remains at Yingshuissu south of Yentai,
where the bulk of the Russian army is as
sembled.
A1exieff Leaves for Harbin.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star
NEW YORK, September Ga cable dis
patch from st. Petersburg says that Vice
roy AleXief has transferred his headauar-
ters from Nladivostok to Harbin, where he
has arrived with his staff. He left Harbin
today for Mukden where he will consult
General kuropatkin upon the choice OF
positions between Yentai and Harbn to be
fortified.
Alleged Losses in Port Arthur.
Special Dispatch TO The Evening Star.
NEW YORK. September Ga cable dis
patch from Tokyo says: Jill (newspaper)
calculates on the basis of official reports
that the Russian losses at Port Arthur haze
been 10000 men killed and wounded The
Russian rear guard in it's retreat from
Lioayang is said to be dsprited The jap
anese claim that many were shot by their
own officers for trying to run away.
Proposes to Buy the Calchas.
ST. PETERSBURG. September cit is
understood that Russia is trying to nego-