Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-03-06
AWFUL CARNAGE
The Fate Of the Russian
Army In Balance.
laps Directing FIankins Move.
ments TO Good Advantage.
Losses On Both Sides Is Heavy-No
Details Of the Conflict.

Reports from Japanese sc Curces claim
that the Russian right flank southwest
to south Mukde.l, and contiguous to the
railway. has be"1 completely turned by
the Japanese forces and the immediate
command OF General Oku. To the east
ward General Klroki is directing n
vigorous attack with heavy artillery
against strongly fortified Russian posi-
tons. General kurOpatkin Is said to be
concentrating strong force in front of
Generals kuroki and Nogi. 1t still
seems probable that General Kuropat-
kin will find it difficult to retire to Tie
pass. which appears 10 be q necessary
move. st. Petersburg has word that
affairs latterly have taken a turn for
the better FOR Russian arms, and tn:
tactics OF Field Marshal Oyama in sac
rifcinG many of his soldiers in an at
tack on impr"snable positions on tbs
center as mere diversion, while the
real blows were being struck on the
ranks is criticized by Russian military
officers. These critics also point to the
attenuation of the japanese line as an
element o: peril for Oyama and Of
hope for kuropatkin. The losses on
both sides nave been heavy but esti-
mates even ire lacking.
St. Petersburg. March 6-3a5 A. NJ
The fate Of General kuropatkin and his
army hangs IN the balance today. de-
pending on the result of the fighting
almost in the outskirts Of Mukden. Ac-
c"rdinc to latest repurts the morning
the fighting went we'll for the Rus
slams. who beat back the wave that
threatened 10 roll over Mukden as 1t
bo II oynr fbo rort;Gn,t;, 80 r..x
thur; but nothing Is known OF what is
going on beyond the line OF breakers.
whether part Of General Nogi's folce Is
i'll full career Cor Tie pass or whether
the Japanese have staked ali in a cast
against Mukde.,. The iInminence on the
peril on the west wing has withdrawn
attention from the operations on the
center and left. where the fighting has
been extremely heavy. and on the left
especially. wnere the Japanese gains
are sufficiently great to cause appra-
henslon to themselves. Military critics
here noirt out that the Japanese have
nut themselves in a ,riticul position by
the extreme extension OF their lines.
laying themselves open as they did at
LacNang to tn" possibility of 4 most
effective counter stroke and probable
defeat if General Kuroratkin should be
ahle to hupch a column against n weak
link in the chan. In other respects. the
situation also resembles that at Lao
yang. the japanese making a costly
demonstration" to hold the Russians
in their fortifcations on the center and
throwing away the lives Of thousands
III order to give the fiankng force an
opportunity to administer telling
blow.
\ feature of all accounts Of the
fighting reaching st. Petersburg is the
emphasis Laid on the awful carnage
There is reference after reference to
dead piled high on the ground over
which an attack was delivered. strcw-
ing breastworks. almost hiding abatis
from sight. and even being used by
th" Jananesc to construct hasty en-
trenchncnts. The Russians losses on
both TANKS are conceded to bee enor-
NOUS. but it is claimed that the de-
tenders Of the center suffered compar-
atvely little by the Japanese lombard
ment and beating off the Japanese at
tack
The attacks delivered by General
Nogis soldiers we're marvellous. IN
view of the forced marches which they
had for six days. recalling the records
of Stonewall Jackson's foot cavalry
They entered the battle with the great
est dash and fought day after day
with vigor: but those of them who
were taken prisoners dropped to the
ground utterly exhausted and hardly
able to speak. They had not eaten for
two days which accounts in part for
their utter fatigue.
General Kuropatkins line Of cornmu-
ncatiDns has not been touched. though
it is in extreme jeopardy. His right
flank is bent so sharply backward that
It may I,ecessitate the abandonment OF
the Putlof and Novgorod hills. to
which the Russians are still firmly
The Russian left also has
been sharply repulsed that CORES
pondent compares the entire dispotioh
CONTINUED on Page Two.)