Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-05-01

Ell 10 his hallway fun of trunks and box
Is. lie was very drunk but he left that
night for the north. 1t was FOR that very
purpose he had packed his boxes.
An during the weeks fighting. from
the time the Russians first heard tn.
japanese guns to the west OF Mukdcn,
their preparations for flight had been go
ing on
In Mukden many were drunk. Officers
| cam" in from the front. went to the res
taurants and drank themselves stupid
Chinese servants threw their masters into
their carts like much wood and start
ed them on their journey north Officers
ana men, scnSeless with vodka were piled
in the waiting trains. When the news
came that the railway had been cut, the
retreat began in good earnest The Rus
sian army was working north in tive col
'lmns the great mass of infantry in the
center. the men struggling along as best
they could.
I'VE went with them. for we still had
some goods in Tie Pass. The Russians
went to the east of the railway. through
hilly country. On either side OF the
center column came the commissar iat
WACO vs. laden with all sorts Of supplies
Outside again We're the lines of guns ana
ammunition wagons. The hospital train
was mixed hopelessly with the hurryinr
panic-stricken infantry. On the hanks
squa,lrons Of cavalry were securing the
country. watching for the Japanes.
I'VE had started in the afternoon with
cart. All about us were men jostIing
pushing in their hurry. Many didn't seem
IN .,1I r1,x-
to IL, leaving Mukden to its fate. Others
were stupid. based. by the roar OF bat
tie, grimy with smoke. yellow with dust.
Their eyes We're fixed and staring. some
cursed l<uropatkin.
THE japanese were way off to the west
and shcilcd us as we went along. II they
wished to do so they could have cut off
the whole army. 1t only needed n sudden
drsh to throw the Russians into hopeless
confusion. 1t was very bad as Il was
There was little order. The men threw
away their boots. their heavy overcoats.
their mess kettles. When they had to
pass through valley the crowd crushed
together fighting its way through the de.
file. Many dropped from fatigue. They
were left in the deserted Chinese houses
1.-THE commssariat wagons had been
throwing away cases of soup tins. great
bags of bread. provisions Of all sorts. that
they might make greater haste. They
liGhtcned their loads to save the carts
They had no time to stop and supply the
men.
1.-THE artillery men abandoned gun ar
ter gun. The ice was already weakening
in the smaller streams and the heavy car
ridges crashed through rs they slid and
bumped across. No one thought OF trying
to dri" them out again. The gun teams
were hurried on and hitched up Some
where else. or seized by the men who had
been riding on the caissOns.
Covered with dust, rcd eyed. we final
~ reached Tie Pass. We had no sleep.
hardly any food or drink. but still there
was no rest. Here there were only a
few Russians. the fringe of the retreat.
Most OF the army passed to the east. Tie
Pass had been great place before: m,i-
sic. women, lots of drink. many traders
Now it was al upside down. The women
had all gone long before. The rctreating
soldiers looted all the shops and sold tho
stuff to their comrades. Champagne at
rouble n bottle. brand. gin. runm. every
thing and az cheap as water. What they
could not dispose Of they threw into the
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