The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-10-20
THOUSANDS LEFT
DEAD ON FIELD
RUSSIAN LOSSES NEAR MUKDEN
PLACED AT 10000.
JAPs ALSO SUFFER HEAVILY
Kuropatkin's Army in Full Retreat
Which May Not End Until
Harbin HAS Been
Reached.

veil lifted from. the CHASTITY tragedy
around Shakhe, but even the official ac-
count. supplemented by numerous press
dispatches leaves much uncertainty as
to the situation. Out of the fragmen-
tary mass Of information at hand it is
possible only to conclude that the costly
withdrawal and retreat from Liaoyang
is being duplicated upon an ever grand
err scale, after more desperate fighting
and heavier losses. Gen. K~uropatkin's
story leaves the Russians still tenacious
iy holding the north bank Of the Shakhe
river, butgeneral belief Is that this is only
the desperate final Of one Of the greatest
military dramas OF history, and that the
Russian army as a whole is retiring to-
wards Mukden having suffered at the
most conservative estimate a loss of
over 10000. 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 thatit
is not In a position to communicate With
the remainder of the army.
All the wounded are being carried to
Hardin. further north. It is understood
that the correspondents also have been
ordered to Hardin, which indicates that
the retreat will not even stop at Tie
pass. All hopes Of the world heralded
advance to Port Arthur have been aban-
doned. The weather conditions are even
worse than during the retreat from Lao
yang. Streams are bank high and fords
are impossible; but 1t is impossible to
say how this will affect the final situa-
tion. It may prove Russian salvation
by preventing a Japanese pursuit. On
the other hand, however, if the Rus
slams are on the wrong side, the flooded
rivers may only emphasize the COM
pleteness of the disaster.
Another serious fact that remains I'M
determined is the ammunition supply.
Seven days Of furious fighting must have
greatly depleted the supply Of both
armies. Official circles express great
confidence that Gen. Kuropatkin is bet
ter off in this respect, but at last ac-
counts the Japanese were bombarding
as il they were confident of an inexhaus-
tible supply.
Nodzu Reported Wounded.
The latest reports from the battle
are of Sunday afternoon and evening
when the Russians were carrying on
a heavy rear guard fight, evidently
retiring on Mukden. Gems. Oku and
Nodzu were concentrating for another
blow On the Russian right. where the
fighting is described as having been
furious. Gen. Nodzu is reported to
have been wounded seriously, but this
cannot be confirmed. Mukden itself
remains quiet, though the sounds OF
battle are plainly heard to the south
ward. The railway station is longest
ed with trains Of wounded proceeding
to Hardin. The hospital facilities are
completely overtaxed. Six thousand
wounded arrived at Mukden on Satur-
day alone. The heroic surgeons and
nurses, many Of whom have been
without sleep for 36 hours, are ready
to drop with fatigue.
Battle Continues.
Mukden, Oct. 17.-There was a lull in
the battle Saturday, but fighting was
continued Sunday on the right. The
army is southwest of here, ten miles. Ii
is now certain that the army will be
able to extricate itself, The losses
amount to 10000, 1t has been a bigger
battle than Liaoyang.
The heavy storm of October Ia added
to the misery of the troops. There Is
great depression, but stolid tenacity
among the men. There has been great
sacrifice of officers. Two divisional
commands have lost their chief staff of
ficers, one of them being killed, and
many commanding officers have met
death heroically, leading their regi-
ments.
The plain occupied by the retiring
Russians is covered with bursting shrap-
mel, The gunners shoyeled shells into
the breeches Of the guns as stokers
shovel coal into furnaces. Howitzers
are used blythe eastern army. The Rus
sian guns have superior range, and
burst shrapnel at 5000 yards. Shraprel
fell near Gen. Kuropatkin He showed
desperate energy, and even in the de- *
est hour remained hopeful. The Jap
anese must feel the strain.
There was a cessation OF hostilities
Saturday. Neither side a stand mans
such contests, the ferocity Of which was
frightful. The Russians are now fight
ing as a matter of pride; Manchuria is
forgotten. They feel that they cannot
stop; that they must win one battle,
The men are tired out, and food has been
insufficient. Every available gun and
man are being used.
The troops have behaved most gall
lantly. hurting themselves repeatedly
against impregnable positions.
Kuropatkin's Report.
ST. Petersburg, Oct. 17.-Under date
Of October Is, Gen. Kuropatkin sent the
following telegram to the emperor: "On
the night Of October l3 large forces Of
Japanese attacked the corps drawn III
in line at Shakhe, on the great man
DARN road. Several attacks were re-
pulsed, but the last succeeded and the
corps was broken. At that moment