The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-18
HARSH CHARGES
OF GRIPPENBERG
Russian General Complains Strongly
of Kuropatkin.
PREVENTED GREAT VICTORY
SAYS COMMANDERS LACK OF
JUDGMENT SAVED JAPANESE.

Q I. PETERSBURG, Feb 1.-THE
= arrival in St Petersburg OF Cen
eral Grippenberg, former com
nander of the second Manchurian
army, who reached here at midnight
mas caused good deal of sensation
II military circles. The general frank
~ aNoWs that he relinquished his COM
Iland after the recent attempt of the
Russians to flank Field Marshal Ovama
because, as he claims. General Kuro-
patkin refused to send him help when
victory was in General Cfrippenberg's
hands, instead of ordering the latter
to withdraw
Grippenberg viii personally report on
the situation to Emperor Nicholas 1t
IS too early to say what the result will
be although it is evident that Kuro-
Patktn's enemies are pushing their
campaign against him. 1t is only fair
tc kuropatkin to say that his friends
claim that Kuropatdn's side of the
story is that he only intended to make
d demonstration in force and that Grip
penberg pressed the attack too far
and became too much involved.
In an interview General Grippenberg
said:
Il am glad to give an account of the
hattie OF my army, the kilograms L
rave seen being far from the truth.
kuropatkin. of course, authorized the
advance. but he imposed the condi-
ton that it should not go beyond
EIeikOutai and Sandepas.
Plan of Attack.
my plan was to capture Heikoutai
and thence OUtflank Sandepas. From
the first army corps before Heikoutai 1
detached a brigade which occupied
IIeikOutai Jan. %. The Japanese cut
in from the south and the brigade
caused a cross fire, but held on until
| got another brigade to cover its re-
treat. The Japanese were now con-
centrating on their left. During the
evening of Jan. % l and my army
were ordered under no circumstances
10 fall back from our positions. The
next morning my whole front was en-
Gagged. the troops being disposed as
follows:
ION the extreme right the first corps.
then the first rifle corps, and the fifth
division of the second corps, which had
just arrived from Russia.
Altogether 1 had sixty-two battal-
ions. The enemy had twice as many
The battle of Jan. 20 was continued
until the evening. We did not surren-
der an inch of ground. Ny left flank,
which was clearing the road to San
depas. being weak, / asked the com
mander in chief. who had sixty battaI-
ions available for achievements He
declined TO send any, appars ntly TAX
center as being a general advance.
Nevertheless, I decided to storm Hell
koutai the next day All the surround
ing villages were already in our hands.
Chance For Great Victory.
EARLY Jan. y the fiercest ighting
occurred. We again held our own The
road to Sandepas, the Japanese point
OF concentration, was quite clear of the
enemy L therefore again appealed 10
the commander in chief for reinforce
ments. If he had listened to my en-
treaties we would have riven the iron
ring of 1O0, 900 of the enemy The Jap
anese being menaced by a strong force
CT Russian cavalry from the south and
southwest evidently realized the dan
ger of tackling US. In desperation Jan.
y they four times desperately as
saulted our positions and were beaten
off each time in such brilliant fashion
that il does my heart good to remern-
Der the gallantry of my brave com
rades. 1 might easily have followed
Up these repulses by headIong offens-
i've but 1 was tied down by the COM
mander in chiefs restrictions and his
refusal to send me achievements
How anxiously I awaited reply on
both subjects. Just think of what VIC
tory means. Complete victory was in
our grasp. The loss of thousands Of
lives was not dreadful before such a
result.