Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-06-09

defeated. II was learned, says the re-
port, that Russian forces Of that class
had been located at Tellssu, and the
japanese thereupon dlspa tched infantry
and cavalry, which defeated and pur-
sued them. The Russians had three
squadrons Al Chang. Chi-Tun this
force was Joined by two additional
squadrons. and the japanese again at
tackled and defeated them Five COM
panles OF infantry and a battery OF
horse artillery Joined the Russians at
Lung Wang Mao, where the japanese
attacked for the third time and the
Russians fell back to Telissu.
Russian accounts confirm the Japan
ese claims to superiority over the Cos
sacks. A 81. Petersburg dispatch says
the war Office has received news OF
sharp fight twenty miles north OF Slam
atsza north Of Feng- Wang .Cheng),
June /, IN which Elk Cossacks were
killed and twenty-five wounded, Five
companies Of Gen, Rennenkampfs Cos
sacks discovered Japanese detachments
at Fen. Chou-Ling Pass halfway be-
tween siamatsza and A1ludjam. The
Cossaoks dismounted and attacked on
foot, hut owing 10 the dlf1cult nature
Of the ground and the strong defensive
position held by the enemy. and the lat
ter's stubborn resistance, the attack
was not pressed. and the Cossacks drew
off,
II Is recalled that the Russian Cos
sack has the reputation OF being an in
yincible soldier. and the question is
naturally asked, what has become OF
this reputation.
A former Russian officer, now living
IN New York, undertakes 20 explain the
matter As quoted by the New York
Evening Mall he says that the Cos
sacks, now IN the field against the Jap
anese, are not genuine Cossacks. They
are from Ussuri KubansH and Slber-
ia, and are called Cossacks only by
courtesy The real Cossacks he says,
who have cut such a wide swath IN
history, are those OF the Don and the
Volga, and they Rave not yet gone to
the front IN any considerable numbers,
The FIRST detachment of Cossacks from
the Don, he continued. has Just been
ordered east, and they cannot have got
to the front IN time to take part In the
recent fighting,
According to this gentleman the mil
itary authorities OF Russia are severely
criticized for not having sent the best
regiments TO the front at the outset,
The Siberian Cossacks are said to be
men OF mixed blood, The fiery old Cos
sack strain has been much diluted by
intermarrIage for generations with Blu
rIat Mongols kalmucks, Samoyedes,
Chinese, Manohus and other peoples
who are inferior from the military point
Of view The Ussuri Cossacks 30 call
ed from the province OF which Vladi-
vostok Is the seaport, are ~ some
what purer type. and Gen. Rennen-
kampfs raldlng brigade is composed Of
these men. But the real Cossack has
not yet appeared on the stage In the
east
The hope Of the Russians seems to be
that when the genuine fighters from
the south Of Russia arrive, the tide will
be turned IN Russa's favor That re-
mains to be seen. Even the Cossacks
have been influenced by civilization.
They have lost some OF the savage in
stincts that made them invincible in
the days Of old, and even II they had
not, savage instinct today does not
count a great deal against scientific
skill, armed with modern engines Of
war.