Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-03-14
WAR In MANCHURIA.
kUROPATkiNS ARMY IN OES.
PERATE STRAITS.
Nogi's Veterans from Pore Arthur
Crush the Russian Right FIank-Jap-
anese Inciose Cars Troops ON Three
Sides-Thousauds Killed.


Mondays dispatches from the Far
East indicated that General Kuropat-
kins army was in desperate straits
aud that the fall of Mukden was immi-
nent. General Oku, commanding the
Japanese left, turned the Russian right
wing and with his victorious troops
was within five and a half miles of
Kuropat.lin's base.
Correspondents with the Cars
forces telegraph that shells from Oku's
guns have been bursting within three
miles OF the imperial Chinese tombs,
which are just outside the city of Muk-
den.
General Nogi, with his Port Arthur
veterans, was reported hammering at
the Russian center, but assault after
assault was repulsed with terrific loss
1t is declared that the casualties on
both sides are already tremendous.
General Kurokl, on the Japanese right,
made steady advances, driving the en-
envy before him, and, from all reports,
y
drew about Kuropatkin's army
line of steel through which it was be-
lieved that he could escape only after
the most terrific struggle if at ALL He
lost huge quantities of ammunition
and supplies and was forced to aban-
don his wounded on the field. Experts
declare that the crushing of the Rus
sian right wing and the march of Gen
eral Oku on Mukden would force an
immediate retreat on the part of the
Cars commander.
Correspondents on both sides say
that the artillery duel which proceed
ed Sunday outside of Mukden was one
of the most furious of the entire war.
AT times the entire plain within sight
of the city was enveloped in smoke
from the bursting shrapnel shells. 1t
is estimated that the Russians have
1900 guns, while the Japanese are not
greatly inferior in numbers.
Advices from Toxic say that Field
Marshal Oyama reports repulsing with
heavy loss a number of Russian at
tacks on his right and center. General
Kuropatkin, in an official dispatch to
the Gar, admitted that the enemy was
closing in on Mukden, but his report
dealt mainly with the operations along
his center, where he then seemed to be
holding his own.
War During the Week.
During the week the great battle of
Mukden continued, stubbornly fought
on both sides. Apparently the Jap
anese were gaining right along, but so
meager were the reports coming from
both sides and so undiscoverable on
any published maps were the places
named in these meager reports that
it is impossible to give any but the
most general account of the fighting
Feb. 10 the armies were drawn up
facing each other. On Their extreme
left the Russians had posted flying
detachment of two divisions, uncon-
nected with the main line. Against
this force Kuroki, with the japanese
right, began TO move. The TWO iso-
lated divisions were compelled TO re-
treat after a hard fight, and Kuroki,
it appears, continued north, getting in
behind the main Russian line and
threatening to flank the whole of
Kuropatkin's army. That part of the
country through which Gen. Kuroki
operates is mountainous, well suited
to his men and to his style of lighting,
and badly suited for the Russians.
Two important passes, Ia and Gauto,
were taken by the Japanese.
While these movements were going
on the centers of the two armies got
into vigorous fight for the possession
bardment of eleven-inch mortars
brought from Port Arthur failed to
weaken the defense sufficiently, for
several Japanese assaults on the hill
were repulsed. The object of this
fighting was to prevent Kuropatkin
from detaching troops from his center
to assist his left.
Gen. Oku, commanding the Japan
csc left, has had some hard fighting
with the Russian right, but the de-
tails of this affair are most unsatisfac-
tory The early impression in St Pc
tersburg seemed to be that l[uroki's
thanking movement would compel
Kuropatkin 10 retreat northward
from Mukden. The Russians, who had
already been whipped in fourteen
straight battles, were naturally bit
gloomy in the fifteenth.
If the japanese win this campaign
at all decisively that should end the
war If the Russians win the war
will continue, of course, for the Gar
would like nothing better than to re-
gain some of his lost prestige.
1t has been observed. and probably
with considerable precision, that one
reason the Russian authorities at
home do not care to have the fighting
stop is because they are afraid to
bring the army home. Soldiers return
Ing from the front are usually swag-
gering fellows. heroes in their COM
munity, accustomed to out of door life
and liberty. and not a bit docile.