The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-08-23
Russian Officers and Men Died
Facing the Foe.
MORTALITY WAS FRIGHTFUL
DESCRIPTION OF SEA FIGHT IN
KOREAN STRAITS. -

TIE nOSpltaI are expected 10 get well
and of the wounded men the recovery
or 312 is now assured.
Vice Admiral Skrydloff has visited
tie hospital. complimented the surviv-
CTS and distributed among them
crosses Of St. George.
| The death of Lieutenant Brash of the
cruiser GrOmObOi is reported to have
| been particularly tragic. He was
| hurled from the bridge. of the cruiser
/ by the explosion Of a she'll Although
mortally wounded, the lieutenant pulled
himself together and continued to issue
orders and encourage the men until he
was removed between decks. A man
| seriously wounded by the same shell
| continued doing his duty and did not
report TO the surgeons for treatment
until the next day
Cruisers Badly Injured.
The Gromoboi and the Rossia present
| shattered appearances. Their smoke
I stacks show great rents. while the
/ Dasts, bridges and ventilators LOOK
like sleeves, and there are marks OF
/ battle everywhere. Guns are disman-
/ tied, boats shattered and there arc
! enormous holes in the cruisers huns
through which man could easily pass.
/ hany of the cabins were completely
wrecked Some of the japanese shells
! performed queer actions. On the Ros-
sia a shell burst in a clothes cupboard.
| Garments therein were torn to shreds
/ put mirror was not scratched Pho
tographs and kniclInacks on a writing
! table near by were not disturbed. In
another part of the cruiser the walls
were blaekened by the smoke of
f cree fire in which eight men wera
burned alive. yet an almanac on the
wall was not even scoFched- Aboard
the GromObOi a shell entered the ward
/ lCom and wrecked the furniture, but e
arrOt cage was untouched
Died Like Brave Men.
All the officers are full of praise for
the GOODNESS and bravery Of the men.
y no died in the battle without a muir
muir Comrades took their places with
out awaiting orders. It was deadly
ork on the upper deck. where the
sunners were without protection, and
shells striking, bursting into a thou
sand fragments. killed and wounded
men until the deck became a veritable
shambles-strewn with dead and dy-
Z ing, and slippery with blood Not a
single gunner protected by casemates
lost his life. The value Of protective
armor was demonstrated whenever
shots struck the armored portion OF
the vessel
Many deeds OF beroisms were dis
played during the five-hour battle but
the greatest praise Of all belongs to
Captain Dabicn Of the GrOmobOi, who
remained at his post on the bridge from
the beginning to the end Of the fight
When wounded In the back he per
sisted in resuming command directly
The wound had been dressed, but yield
ing to the entreaties Of his officers, he
sought shelter in the coming tower.
Not One Escaped.
No sooner had he entered than
shell struck the foot of the tower,
siancing upwards to the overhangins
cover and entered through the poop
hole. killing a lieutenant and two
quartermasters, wounding two iieuten-
ants and again wOunding Captain Da
5ich in the head and breast. Not a
single man in the tower escaped. There /
being no one to steer the ship. the cap
tain. severely wounded though ne was !
dragged himself to the wheel and man !
aged it until another Quartermaster had |
been summoned.
Subsequently learning that the men /
were depressed by the fact that he had l
been wounded a second time. the cap /
tain insisted, after the second dressing, /
on being supported along the decks 10 4
the classmates, encouraging the sailors, /
saying:
I am alive. brothers. Go, on smash
ing the Japanese"
Killed by a Splinter.
When Captain Andreiff of the Rossia /
ascertained that only three out OF he- /
twenty big guns could be fired he 1
Coolly gave orders to get explosives in 1
l readiness TO sink the ship. Captain /
Andreiff is usually nervous. but in bat /
tie he was cool as a cucumber. When /
not giving orders he was chiefly con- !
yersing with the gunners at their sta /
lions.
Captain Berlinsky was killed by a |
splinter which struck him on the head
at the outset OF the fight
Lieutenant MOlas also distinguished 1
himself. A shell entered the cOmpart- /
ment where he was directing the fire /
and set fire to the deck on which a /
number of charges were standing /
& bout Then came an eight-inch shell. !
which scattered the charges and caused |
a terrific explosion. which threw tne I
men in every direction and hurled Lieu I
tenant MOias on the upper deck. Fox |
tunately, he feH on a heap Of dead |
bodies and escaped with severe bruises. /
Plunged Into Danger.
Dense fire and smoke were then pour |
ing out of the compartment, but Lieu I
tenant Molas did not hesitate for i /
moment. Calling FOR volunteers, he /
Plunged headlong into the flaming COM !
partment and succeeded in putting out /
the FIRE.
Another officer, followed by a num- I
Der of sailors. brought a hose and /
played water upon Lieutenant Molass I
Snd his men while they were removing I
the unexploded charges. regardless os 4
the fact that they might have exploded /
at any minute in their hands
Only one of the dead was brought /
Eack-Captain BerliHsky of The R0ssia- I
His remains lay in a coffin near an
ikon Of the Savior. tbe glass i1a.ne % +
which was smashed The image, how /
ever. miraculously escaped.
All the others VINO were killed were /
buried at sea a farewell salute being |
fred as the bodies were slid over the |
ships side.
Survivors Cheerful.
The seamen OF the Rossfa and Grogno-
boi who survived are cheerful. They |
responded TO the greetings OF Vice Adj |
miral S<rydleff with joyful hurrshs.
on board the Rurik were txenty-four |
officers, a priest, eighty petty Of |
f.cers and zoo men
The wife and daughter OF Captain /