Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-01-03
VALIANT DEFENSE.

interview in Cheloo last night said
"Port Arthur falls of exhaustion-ex-
haustion not only of ammunition, but OF
men. The remnant Of the garrison left
had been doing the work OF heroes for
five days and five nights, but Sunday
they reached the limit Of human endur-
ance In the casemates of the forts one
saw everywhere faces black with starva-
ton. exhaustion and nerve strain. You
spoke TO them, but they did not give
answer, only staring dumbIy. The lack
of ammunition alone would not have
suggested the seeking of terms. Scant
ammunition had long been common in
the fortress, aud during the past month
many of the forts had nothing with
which TO return the fire of the enemy.
The Russians sat in the casemates, firing
not more than once to the 200 shots
sent by the japanese. When the as
sault came they repulsed the enemy with
bayonets. But the meD themselves. hay-
ing existed for three months on reduced
rations. were SO worn that it is marvel
Gus they stood the final strain so long.
On Sunday General Stoessel would
still fight. His wound, which was re-
ceived early 10 the siege, had been both
ering him, but his determination to fight
while one man stood had not been di-
minished. But we cannot fight, said his
generals. Our men cannot move. They
sleep standing. They cannot see the
bayonets at their breasts. We can or
der, but they canuot obey. Then you
generals fight" said Stoessel, clenching
his fists. lie seemed ianatical on the
subject, but finally he was brought to
see reason by the insistence OF his sub
ordinales. Admirals Lochiusky and
Wren, Generals SmyronOii and Fock
and many Others, sometimes with
broken voices, urged the step which all
dreaded so long. am sure Port Arthur
would have sought terms month ago
had it not been for General StOessel,
who, with bulldog tenacily, steadily re-
fused to permit such action to be taken.
He had told his Emperor that he would
never surrender, and he meant to keep
his word. The greatest loss suffered 10y
Port Arthur occurred a fortnight ago
when Major General Kondratenko was
killed.
Officers and men alike regarded him as
the brightest star in Port Arthur's frma-
ment. Wnen his death became known
,he tall in the spirits Of the soldiers was
plainly visible. General KondrateDko
was seated iu the casemate Of certain
fort discussing with seven other officers
the best way OF countermining against
the japanese when an ll-inch shell
burst, killing everybody in the casemate.
General Nog has taken Port Arthur
with his artillery and his tunnels. His
rifle bullets we're seldom found to be OF
auy use. We constantly endured a
bombardmenl fercer than any in history.
The japanese periodically assaulted and
then, if repulsed, they calmly resumed
their bombardment Had the ammuni-
ton held out the fortress would have
held out indefinitely. For months we
held Port Arthur by bayonets alone, un-
til flesh and blood could do no more.
When a man fell there was none other
to replace him. Thus the garrison was
gradually worn down. Two Hundred
and Three. Meter Hill alone cost us
5000 men. The capture of that hill
was the beginning of the end. The
japanese artillery was excellently
served. They had 400 guns bearing on
203 Meter HILL They advanced their
trenches while the artillery was shelling
the Russians out with a shower Of metal
aud then occupied the Russian positions.
In personal combat the japanese was
greatly inferior to the MuscOvhe. One
Russian could take care Of three Japa-
aese in bayOnet fight, and some of our
soldiers have records vastly higher than
that. The Japanese are good, brave
soldiers, although have little liking for
them. 1t cost the japanese so, 600 men
to take the fortress, while some say they
/ have lost over a hundred thousand. The
number of our own dead is not known,
even to the high officers. The fighting
since August has been mercless. When
Rihlung Mountain was taken 500 men
occupying a casemate were not able to
emerge, so quickly came the rush OF the
japanese. The Russians tried to emerge
by use Of their bayonets in the face of ma
chine gun fire. Thus every man died
trying to resist machine guns with bayo-
nets alone. The japanese did not give
them chance to become prisoners, but
the meu would have preferred death any
way. Realize this end Picture fort
strewn with shells and you have pic.
ture of the end Of Poit Arthur One
peculiar incident Of the siege was Font
No. 3. where for three months the Japa-
nese occupied one part Of tie fort while
the Russians occupied The other. They
fought ceaseles.ly assaullug each other
and mining aud conntermining. Once
when a Japauese prince was killed the
japanese sent to negotiate truce 10 or
der that they might secure the body from
heaps of others which had long remained
unburied. The Russians received the
envoys courteously, and in an easy man
ner, as if they had untold brewerle:
working, gave them the last bottle ol
beer at Port Arthur, with the idea o.
creating an impression of plenitude.
"As a matter OF fact, the only real
ration for three months consisted Of