The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-05
GEN. NAMBU, The
HERO OF MUKDEN
He Fought Successfully Against
Enormous Odds to Preserve
Japs Battle Plan.
New York Sun Special Service.

New York Sun Special Service
Toxic, May 5.-The most critical
point in the battle of Mukden was the
capture and holding Of the village Of
Li-kwan- pau, where on March z, a jap
corps and lost 4,1o6 officers and men,
the Russian losing more than 5000, in
the one days fighting. Had the jap
anese not held their ground Nogi's
turning movement might have failed.
The official report is almost silent on
the incident, which ranks as one OF the
| greatest feats at arms in history. 1t
says:
This day our troops took about two
of the enemy made a counter attack but
after a severe fight our men held their
ground.
Li-kwan-p pau is village nine miles
west of Mukden. It's capture formed a
part of the work assigned to General
! Oku's army to force, the Russians back
from all their positions southwest of
Mukden, in order to mask the turning
movement of General Nogi.
General Nambu s brigade of Japanese
ultimately found itself struggling
Numbered 4 to l. The men neverthe-
less persevered in their attack, forcing
the enemy from house to house until
two thirds Of the place was in their
hands. -.
-a Use Enemy's Guns. . ~.
The Japanese then saw themselves
threatened with complete failure of
ammunition. They had used every car
fridge in the pouches of their fallen
comrades, had used even the rifles and
ammunition Of the enemy's dead and
wounded. A message must be carried
to division headquarters, but the regi-
ment was surrounded. Its fellow regi.
merit, upon which the maintenance of
communication depended, had been
borne back by sheer weight of numbers
To emerge from the cover of the village
into the open could scarce result in any
thing but death. a
Colonel Takanouchi was wounded in
three places, yet supporting himself or
Three men dashed off by different
routes to summon succor. Among then
was Major Ol1oshi. He galloped safely
thru the village, but on emerging fell
fatally hurt by shrapnel, struck dow1
in the act of riding away from the
J scene of combat. Taking paper and pen
Gil from his pocket he wrote as fol
! lows: .....
Okoshi Commits Harikari
] TO General Nambu-Testament of Ma
jor Okoshi-Sir: Instead of fighting side
1 by side with the colonel of my regimen
4 and its battalion commanders, have lief
4 the battlefield alone at the wish of m,
4 colonel. [ am about to report the stat
of affairs to you. I did not disregard tn,
{ dangers on the way, but, being unable t,
witness the straits to which my colOne
q and comrades were reduced, it was m,
4 purpose to adventure my life in order Il
y convey the facts to the commander Of tn
division, so some means Of succor nigh
q be continued, after which I intended +
4 return to the field to share the fate o
4 my brother officers and men.
But I have been wounded on the way
q and to my bitter regret have failed t.
Z accomplish my purpose. Therefore, an
4 about to die in order to rejoin beyond tn
q grave my comrades and the soldiers unde
q my command ~
A My right arm being wounded, however
4 I cannot use my sword and must, there
8 fore, have recourse to my pistol.
I beg you to pardon this now. For al
Il your kindness thru many years I than
4 you from a sincere heart. I pray you ma
j acquire lasting military fame. Being ex
d hausted, I find difficulty in writing, SO
. ask you to excuse my brevity.-Okosh
8 ajor.
4 Lying near by was soldier who wa
q severely wounded Major Okoshi in
4 trusted the letter to him and then sho
a himself.