Arizona republican., 1905-03-15

II seethed like a nest of ants with the dense and confused mass of transports, artillery and troops, corps, divisions and regiments are being restored The stragglers have been sent to their re- spective commands, the organiza tions have taken their assigned positions and today the soldiers are gathered about their camp fires singing and with new courage, ready to oppose with stub borness an attack on Tie Pass.
 It is unfair to accuse the entire army of this panic General Linevitch en- tered Tie Pass with his regiments in perfect order with music playing and the men singing and scarcely estrag- gler was lost in the long, difficult march. There is much to be said also for the panic stricken condition of the troops They were composed largely of undiscipIined men and wagon driv- CTS were mingled with the soldiers who for fifteen days were under constant fire, crowded together in a mass whence egress was impossible.
 It is one of the ordered facts of war fare that the morale of the beaten Rus sian army has been largely restored, while the Japanese though the Victors apparently are so broken and have in- cured such heavy losses that they are unable to press the advantage. Other wise it is ineXplicable why the Jap anese have not followed up their vigor- ous pursuit with an attack on Tie Pass when they might have taken the posi- tion almost without a struggle. It is now too late for an easy success.
 The struggle for the possession of Mullden cost both sides close upon 200,- 000 men. The Russian loss of officers included a large proportion of the re- gimental commanders and field officers All ithe newspaper correspondents with the exception of three or four have left for the north because there is nowhere to live and nothing to eat. Ripped by defeat, many Of the Russian officers are ill a surly mood and their grudg- ingly given information is colored with jealousy and a rampant spirit of ca bal It is however, possible now to give a general view of the battle. the con nected story emerging out of the con fusion incident to the evacuation of Mukden and the forced retreat to Tie Pass
 STORY OF THE BATTLE
 On Feb. 24. all was ready for an at tack on the westward. Various DOT tions of the army had been disposed for an advance on the right flank. Sud denly in the evening of that date the order to advance was cancelled and q strong order was given for the trans fer of General Rennenkampff's first Si- berian corps and several other organ izations to the left flank, which was being pressed by a large force of the Japanese.
 The Russians generally held their ground, doing well until Feb. 2S, when an unexpected attack developed to the southwest before the Russian right weakened by the withdrawal of almost two more corps.
 By March 1, il became evident that the Japanese were moving around the Russian right in five heavy columns and it became imperative to withdraw the thin line from the southwest and ;fSrm a new line from the bridge across the Shakhe river parallel with the rail- way. The change of front was ac- complished with remarkable celerity. but the various organizations became badly mixed
 The Russians on March 4, occupied their former positions on the Shakhe river as far as the bridge thence to MaEyapu on the Hun river and thence parallel with the railway six miles distant; the right resting on the Sin ninth road. The Japanese on March 5, beginning to turn even this position,