The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-02-09
ONE WEEK OF WAR.
RENEWAL OF HOSTILITIES IN
THE ORIENT.

Hopes that the Fighting Might Cease
Seem Scattered to the winds--Great
Loss of Life Continues in Battles ON
the Hun River.
Hopes that fighting In the Orient
might cease soon seem to have been
scattered to the winds. Ten days ago
1t was reported that Gen. Kuropatkin
had been ordered to open negotiations
with Field Marshal Oyama. If orders
were sent him, they were to attack in
force, and win If he could the victory
of which Russia is in such need. a
signal success would have done some
thing to restore the prestige of the
government at home and abroad.
Two weeks ago the japanese noticed
concentration of forces on the Rus
sian right flank, and made their prep
arations to meet it Gen. Kuropatkin's
plan soon became apparent. 1t was to
capture strongly fortified positions
held by the Japanese on the left bank
of the Hun River, to turn their left
flank, and force them to a general en-
gagement. The Russians began the
attack on the 25th of last month and
met at first with considerable success.
They showed that they as well as the
Japanese could drive an enemy out of
his Notifications. A number Of villages
which the Japanese had surrounded
with strong works were captured.
Then the japanese rallied, and, after
desperate fighting, succeeded, accord
ing to their account, in recapturing the
positions they had lost and driving
the Russians back across the Hun
River at the end Of weeks sanguin-
airy fighting.
The fighting at Heikoutai and along
the Hun River from the 25th to the
Goth Of January proves to have been
one Of the great battles of the war.
A hundred thousand men were In ac-
ton on the Russian side and doubtless
at least that many on the Japanese
side. Significant of the vastness of
these later operations Of the war is
the fact that the Russian casualties
some 13,0OO-alone outnumber the en-
tire army Russia had engaged at the
battle of the Yalu.
There are no trustworthy reports of
the losses, but both sides must have
suffered severely. The Russians admit
that over 1000 officers and men were
killed or wounded during the fighting
Of the first two days. Probably not
less than 10000 Russians and Japan
csc are dead or disabled as the result
Of the weeks furious fighting. During
most Of the time the thermometer was
below zero, but Gen. kuropatkin says
his soldiers did not suffer much from
the cold.
The victory was emphatically with
the japanese. Gen. Kuropatkin's plan,
intrusted to Gen. Grippenberg for exc
cution, was to turn the Japanese left
flank. In the earlier stages Of the war
the Russians lad apparently never
heard or imagined that such a thing
as fanking operation was possible
Now having by bitter experience
learned what it is to be outhanked,
they seem to think that 1t is as simple
to crumpleNp one wing of compactly
posted army Of 100000 men as 1t
would be to treat similarly single
division Of the enemy Once more
they are wiser.
Far more unfortunate for Russia,
however, than the mere failure to win
success on the Hun is the fact that
the battle has proved conclusively
that the new army organization from
which SO much was hoped is not eff
Gent. 1t will be remembered that
after the battle of the Shakhe Gen.
Kuropatkin initiated the Japanese or
ganization by dividing his force into
three armies. under the commands, re-
spectively, Of Generals Grippenberg,
Kaulbars and Linievitch.
Now, with the first test of the new
organization. Gen. Grippenberg resigns
his command. The rumored reason for
his resignation is his complaint that
Kuropatkin did not send him re-en-
forcements during his attack and did
not engage the japanese elsewhere
along the line. Whether the resigna-
ton Is voluntary or involuntary.
whether tho fault is Kuropatkin's or
Grippenberg's, is Indifferent. The main
thing is that the organization has
broken down, and that the Russian
generals once again show themselves
too small for their great task.
The Russians retain their original
lines and are Strengthening their for
tif1cat1ons. AS Oyama has been re-en-
forced by the Port Arthur army, it is
not unlikely that he will take the OF
fensive in his turn. A direct attack
on the Russian position would be haz-
ardous. He could turn the Russian
right flank by moving troops through
the territory west of the Lao River,
but that would be violation of Chi
nese neutrality, which the Japanese
say they desire to respect. Perhaps
Gen. Kuroki. the commander of the
right wing of the Japanese army, who
made so many Attempts last fall to cut
flank the Russians, will try it again.
Admiral Rojestvenslky's feet is still
at Madagascar awaiting the vessels