The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-07-05
BY Frederick Palmer, Golfers
Weekly's Special War Core.
spondent In Manchuria,
Who Was In the Wake
Of Japan's Veto.
rious Army.
0et1esest Eagagement Occurred at Lemon
pa Village. Where IT, Stress Became
Ehambles-Whole Russian Diyisioa
Held OF by One Refiment-0sl.
liant Fighting Of Nogi's Men.
Kuropatiin Lost BY Com.
uniting the Error Of
Which He Warned
His Officers.

Two new armies came to assist the
main force at the battle Of Mukden,
one marching up to juncture with eli.
Their end Of the winter line. Nogi's
men had only finished the siege at
Port Arthur when they had to begin
a tramp Of 200 miles in the cold and
windy period Of late January and early
February.
A Part Of the Japanese Strategy.
You may hear In Tokyoeas I heard
when l passed through-how the new
army Of the east (the japanese right
was sent through Korea in order to
give the impression that its destina-
ton was vladivostok. BY marching
around Robin Hoods barn the new ar.
my Of the east had fooled the enemy
completely. 1t had sprung out Of the
ar on Kuropatkin's left and was doing
the work Of the battle already In
progress. This much you learned in
The most CONFIDENTIAL way from the
gossip Of the capital. The truth h, 30
far as I can ascertain, that the jap
anese made a great secret Of this new
.army's existence, when as a matter Of
fact they would have been deeply dis.
appointed had not Kuropatkin heard
all about it through his secret service.
iKuropatkin rose to the bait. He
thought that the japanese were trying
to turn his left. He sent his reserves
to the east. and that was precisely
what the japanese wanted.
The real secret was to the west, the
Japanese left. It was simple. as all
battle plans are, to wage battle along
the whole of the enemy's line, feint on
his left and strike on his right.
On Feb. 20 Nogi was modified in
the little town of Shapeiho, about
twelve miles west Of Liaoyang. The
car was not more carefully watched
during the riots In St. Petersburg than
this force, which was Us large as
Lees army upon its surrender to
Grant. Most Of the cavalry at Oyama's
command formed a screen In front Of
him from the left Of the japanese
works to the bank Of the Lao. The
Cossacks never penetrated it or got
around It; no native took the informa-
ton to Mukden; Kuropatkin ncve
smelled q mouse The town where
Nogi waited was sealed by sabers and
carbines. But the time was not yet
ripe for Nogi to advance. When lie
went It must be rapidly, lest the ene-
my should be warned and prepare for
him.
The Beginning of the Battle.
1t was the place of the new army Of
the east to call attention to itself by
the drst movement Of the battle. It's
first fight ~ its advance was at Chin
hochen on Feb. %. This was not seri-
Gus. It kept on advancing on the oath,
25th and 26th, having to meet the enc.
my In little more than rear guard &C.
tons. BY this time 1t was on a line
with the main positions Of the Japa.
nese, but between these two points
there was a bend in the line toward
the southwark.
Here Kuroki's army, which had hith-
erto formed the right, was posted. Its
three divisions were set differing and
difficult tasks In pressing forward to
relieve any pressure on the new army
and to insure that once Kuropatkin
had removed his reserves to this side
Of Mukden he would be kept too busy
there to withdraw them until Nogi had
firmly placed himself to the east Of
Mukden. threatening the railroad.
One division was concentrated and
gent right around the right Of the other
two divisions Of Kuroki. They ad-
vanced ten miles on the 24th without
opposition. but by the 9th the new
army and the First army began to ap-
preciate how strongly Kuropatkin had
prepared for the expected fanking
movement on his left. With stubborn
positions in front of them one division
Of Kuroki's army had the assistance Of
a brigade and 4 concentrated artillery
fire. The division which had wheeled
on tie 26th attacked Wanfulin. They
found the Russians IN greater numbers