The Savannah morning news., 1904-10-17
WANTS RELIEF
AT PORT ARTHUR
KUR0PATKIN GETS ORDERS.
EMPEROR SENDS HIM ON DIsAs-
TROUS SOUTHERN ADVANCE.

Russian Prisoners of War Tell Why
kurOpatlin Assumed Aggressive
Movement Southwark Nicholas
Orders for Him to Make a stand.
strength of Garrison at Port Ar
thur Is Being Reduced Daily-But
No Rescue Possible Now.
Toxic, Oct. 16, 8 p. m.-According TO
statements made by Russian prisoners,
Gen. Kuropatkin was ordered by EN-
peror Nicholas to make a stand at
Mukden and to assume the aggressive
as speedily as possible, in order to
relieve the Port Arthur garrison.
This order, the prisoners say, reach
ed Mukden on Sept. q, and Gen. Ku-
ropatkin, in obedience to it, began his
disastrous southern advance move
ment. An extended report, dealing
with the statements of these prisoners,
follows:
According to statements made to Of
flcers of the center army by Rus
sian prisoners, whom they had cap
tured, the enemy had received infor-
nation that the strength of the gar
rison at Port Arthur was being daily
reduced, and that the garrison was In
a disastrous condition.
Orders from Emperor.
Russian reinforcements were constant
ly arriving in Manchura and the
strength of the forces under Gen. Ku-
ropatkin in the neighborhood of Muk-
den had reached to over nine army
corps.
"Thereupon, the prisoners say, the
Russian Emperor, on Sept. 27, ordered
Kuropatkin not to retire step beyond
Mukden, and directed him, circum-
stances permitting, to assume the Of
fensive as quickly as possible and to
drive the Japanese out of Southern
Manchuria, in order to rescue the Port
Arthur garrison.
Divided His Forces.
Acting under this command, Gen.
Kuropatkin advanced with his whole
strength to the south of Mukden, di-
viding his forces into three columns,
the center, right and left.
1.-THE center column composed of the
First, Fourth and Fifth corps under
the command of Gen. Zoloieff, ad-
Vanced toward Tungshankou and Lin
hua mountain.
The left column, which was COM
posed of two corps under Gen. Stakel-
berg, advanced against the Japanese
right
The right column, which was COM
posed of three corps, advanced against
the Japanese left. Besides these, one
corps held in reserve was following
the center column.
Defeat Means Revolution.
THE prisoners declared that the
war would continue for 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 gen.
eral revolution, and the disintegration
of Russian territory.
During one engagement, the Thirty
seventh division, especially the First
Brigade, sustained extraordinary
losses. The first company of the One
Hundred and Forty-fifth Regiment was
annihilated on Sankuaihsi mountain,
and many line officers were killed,
wounded, or captured. The Third ST.
berian reserve division sustained the
greatest loss.
Russians Have Lost Many.
"At the beginning of the war the
Russian regiments numbered 1000 men
each. After the battle of Lao Yang,
each of the regiments was reduced TO
a strength of about $500 with the ex-
capital of the Twelfth regiment
which as "A result of this battle was re-
duced to 800.
The regiment after the battle was
commanded by a captain, the bat
talions being in command of SUBJ
lieutenants while older privates direct
ed the operations of it's companies"