The San Francisco call., 1904-10-17
CZAR BLAMED FOR ROUT.
Russian Prisoners Say Nicholas Per-
emptorily Ordered Advance.

cuJIOFlly OfOcfe0 Advance.
TOXIC, Oct. 16.-According to state
ments made by Russian prisoners, Cen
eral Kuropatkin was ordered by EN-
peror Nicholas to make stand at Muk-
den and 10 assume the aggressive as
speedily as possible in order to relieve
the Port Arthur garrison. This order,
the prisoners say, reached Mukden on
September q, and General Kuropatkin
In obedience to it began his disastrous
southern advance movement. An ex-
tended report dealing with the state
ments of these prisoners follows:
According to statements made to Of
prisoners the enemy had received in
ftcers of the center army by Russian
formation that the strength of the gar
rlson at Port Arthur was being daily
reduced and that the garrison was in q
disastrous condition. Fresh Russian re-
lnforcements were constantly arriving
In Manchuria from Europe, and the
strength of the forces under General
Kuropatkin in the neighborhood of
Mukden had reached more than nine
army corps. Thereupon, the prisoners
said, the Russian Emperor on Septem-
Der q ordered KuroDatkin not to retire
a step beyond Mukden, and directed
him, circumstances permitting, to as
sumo the offensive as quickly as posSi-
bic and to drive the Japanese out Of
Southern Manchuria in order to rescue
the Port Arthur garrison.
Acting under this command General
huropatkin advanced with his whole
strength to the south of Mukden. divid-
ing hls forces into three columns-the
center, the right and the left.
The center column, composed of the
First, Fourth and Fifth corps, under
the command of General Soloieff, ad-
Vanced toward Tungshankou and Lin
hua Mountain. The left column, which
was composed of two corps under Gen
eral Stakelberg. advanced against the
Japanese right. The right column,
which was composed of three corps, ad-
vanced against the Japanese left. Be
sides these there was one corps held in
reserve. which was following the CEN
ter column.
General Linevitch, commanding the
field fighting force in the Ossouri dis
trict, was taking il devious road from
the east and advancing toward the
southeast of LiaOyang, for the purpose
OF threatening the line of a possible
Japanese retreat. General Mistchenke,
commanding six regiments of dra-
goons, operated on Linevitchs right.
The center column was disposed as
follows: The First Corps on the right,
the Fourth Corps on the left and the
Fifth Corps in rear of the center. The
Fourth Corps consisted of the First
and Fourth Siberian reserve division.
Four batteries of quick firing guns
were attached to each division.
The prisoners declared that the war
would continue a long time, because
the Russians had decided to attain a
final victory, regardless of the losses
which might be involved, as otherwise
a defeat would mean a general revolu-
tion and the disintegratiOn of Russian
territory.
During one engagement the Thir-
ty-seven division, especially the First
Brigade, sustained extraordinary losses.
The first company of One Hundred and
Forty-fif Regiment was annihilated
on Sankuaihsi Mountain and many
line officers were killed, wounded or
captured. The Third Siberian reserve
division sustained the greatest loss.
''At the beginning of the war the
Russian regiments numbered 1000
men each. After the battle of Lao
yang each of the regiments was re-
duced to a strength of about $500,
with the exception of the Twelfth
Regiment which, as a result of this
battle, was reduced to 500. This regi-
ment, after the battle, was command
ed by captain, the battalions being
in command of sub-lieutenants, while
the older privates directed the opera
tions of its companies