Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1904-10-20
THE CAPTURE OF sHAkHE.
Village Held by Each Side Five Timet
But Last by Japs,

Village Held by Each Side Five Timet
But Last by Japs.
ST. Petersburg, Oct. 10, 3:45 a. M
The official veil was lifted from the
tragedy around Shakhe. but the ac-
counts leave much uncertainty. Out
of the fragmentary mass of informa-
ton 1t is possible to conclude that the
costly withdrawal from Lao Yang is
being duplicated upon even a grander
scale after more desperate fighting and
heavier losses. Kuropatkin's story
leaves the Russians still tenaciously
holding the north bank of the Shakhe
river, but general belief Is that this
is only the desperate finale of one of
the greatest military dramas OF his
tory and that the Russian army as a
whole is retiring towards Mukden, hav-
ing suffered loss of over 100000
Left Flank May Be Cut OFF.
OF the left flank. which was one of
the most important points In the line
of battle, absolutely nothing is heard
which leaves the inference that 1t is
not in position to communicate with
the remainder of the army. All the.
wounded are being carried to Hardin.
1t is understood the correspondents
have been ordered to Hardin, which in
dictates that the retreat will not even
stop at Tie pass. All hopes of the adj
doned. The weather conditions are
even worse than during the retreat
from Lao Yang. Streams are bank
high and fords are impossible, but It is
impossible to say how this will affect
the final situation. 1t may prove Rus
sian salvation by preventing jap
anese pursuit. On the other hand. if
the Russians are on the wrong side,
the flooded rivers may only emphasize
the completeness OF the disaster.
Seven days of furious fighting must
have greatly depleted the ammunition
supply OF both armies. Officials ex-
press confidence that Kuropatkin Is
better off in this respect. but at last
accounts the Japanese We're bonbard-
ing as IL confident of an inexhaustible
supply
Battling for tho Village.
The official story of the battle says
to break the Russian center Friday
night, but this, 1T seems, may be a
clerical or Geographic error for Thurs
day. simultaneously the Japanese
launched heavy assault against the
village of Shakhe. which had already
been the scene of so many furious at
tacks and counter attacks. The Rus
lage, but heroically captured the posi-
ton. This brought reserves of both
sides into action, but whether the
whole of the reserves of either side
We're engaged is not clear In any
event the Russians We're again and fin
ally driven out, making five times that
Shakhe had changed hands in the
course of the battle. The Russians then
retiredto a new position north Of
Shakhe.
Mukden itself remains quiet. though
the sounds of battle are plainly heard
TO the southwark. The railway station
is congested with trains of wounded
facilities are completely overtaXed. Six
thousand wounded arrived at Mukden
Saturday alone.
Gloom at Russian Capital.
Although the official account of the
battle does not present the disastrous
picture that many in st. Petersburg
had resigned themselves to see, the
general feeling Is Of deepest gloom. If
the battle has not been Russia's Sedan
in fact, the moral and political effect
could hardly be worse. The result will
unpopular than ever at home, while the
greatest fears are expressed that the
Chinese population, If not the governs
ment, will be encouraged to abandon
long doubtful neutrality and openly
side with the victorious japanese From
the military point OF view the most
bitter disappointment is In the knowl-
edge that reversals seal the fate of
the heroic defenders of Port Arthur,
who are now without hope of succor
from the outside world.
A remarkable feature throughout is
the sympathy with Kuropatkin. Vice.
roy Alexieff is charged with RESPONSE
bility for interfering with Kuropatkin.
Pity rather than criticism is awarded
the general, but it is felt that the mill
tary prestige Of Russia has so suffered
at his hands that it is Impossible he
can ever be given a chance to retrieve
the disaster.