The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-03-10
DEATH GRAPPLE
OF JAP AND RUSS
Scenes Around Mukden at the Close
of the Tenth Day of Battle.
QUESTION OF ENDURANCE
HEROISM OF MIKA-
DOS SOLDIERS.

mi night closed the tenth day of the
Titanic struggle for the posses
sion of Mukden and the mastery of
great empire; the tenth day of unceas-
ing conflict under exploding Shrapnel,
the roar of cannon and the whistling
of bullets; the tenth day without sleep
and without food. The combat is fast
reaching point where it is a question
not so much of turning columns, of tao
tics and of strategy, as Of whose
strength, energy and cartridges will
last the longer.
Gray coated Russians. patient. un-
complaining, strong of soul, chung dog
gedly To positions against an enemy
whose attacks go to the very point of
insanity and desperation For forty
eight hours the japanese have not eat
en-. They are starving and exhausted.
but Field Marshal Oyama himself has
told them that the city will fall and the
slaughter stop on Friday, and their
confidence in their leader Increases
their strength tenfold.
Blew Themselves sEyward.
On Wednesday, when the Russians
took Ushuntun, "A few dozen Japanese
chung TO the thick-walled temple and
refused all overtures to surrender. Can
non were brought up and preached the
walls. but the daredevil courage OF the
defenders continued under the fire, and
finally, when defense was hopeless, they
blew themselves skyWard with the
ruins of the temple. One survivor,
rather than surrender, threw himself
into stone-rimmed we'll and persisted.
Rushed on to Victory.
And yet the rank and file and infe-
riOr leaders, stern in their sense of
duty, are as unsparing of themselves
as of the men whom they lead to death.
Stern Oyarna drives and drives his
troops northward to encircle the city.
With every fresh Hanging movement
the iron band closes nearer the rail
road and under this menace the First
and Third armies were forced last night
to abandon the mighty Notifications
on the Shal1he river. give up the i'm
pregnable POutilOff hill and retire to
the line of the Hun river.
Today the Japanese are pushing their
columns north and northeast, lombard
ing villages which are keys of the de
Tense, and hurting men, some of them
veterans of the years campaign and
others middle-aged reserves fresh from
Japan, against Russian positions. Often
they are repulsed, and sometimes they
master the advanced line, but at enor-
nous cost.
Damage Quickly Repaired.
Individuals and small parties have
reached the railroad, cut the TELEGRAPH
wires and disloged a few rails, but the
I
perpetrators usually killed or wounded.
Around the village of Pachia tzu there
| ragged a fierce struggle A veteran regi-
ment Of the imperial rifles distin-
guished itself especially, members earn
| ing st. George crosses time and again
| in supporting and rescuing raw regi-
! ments.
Lieutenant-ColoneI Sapotski, a bril-
| liant and beloved officer. one of the he
roes OF Lao Yang. who chose to die
rather than surrender, was killed at
| Pachiatchu.
Shells HurtIe Past.
Just behind Pachiatchu. under the
1 shadow of a clump of pines in the
park Of the imperial tonbs. sits the
| commander of another division. Colonel
/ Launitz, directing the attack on Santa
| itZe and the defense of UShuntun. With
/ a swish like that of the silken skirts of
! a well-dressed dame, Shimose shells
! hUrtle past and occasional bullets whis-
| tie by. Every few minutes the bell Of
! the telephone at his feet jingles and ne
! reports to the commander of the army.
! Now a COssack orderly gallops up and
| reports that the Russian troops are
| leaving Pachiatchu, that the japanese
| have seized the village and with it the
| bodies of SapOtskl and half his regi-
| ment.
Prince Mackeff Dead.
Another of the dead is Prince Mac
! keff, commander of the same regiment
| The middle of the afternoon. in a cloud
| of dust and surrounded by his staff
! and escort, General Kaulbars canters
| up, sits quietly a few minutes under
! fire inspecting the position and then
| continues his rounds.
Errant bullets now and then strike
| village hats. raising a cloud Of plaster
| or little spatters of dust in the Manda-
! rim road
| Now the fight slackens. The Russians
| appear to be gaining ground; but in an
| instant of comparative stiffness is
| heard the muffled thud and shuttle of
| the feet of japanese reserves advanc-
| ing on the run to restore the balance.
Fever of Anxiety
Uneasily sleeps Mukden tonight. In
/ the main street lamps burn dimIy
| Along dark roads, inheaVy dust. are
| marching columns. The cool night is
! full of the low rustic Of movement.
| Near the station, in oyerhlIed hospitals.
are heard low groans. The wounded
arrive in a never-ceasiug stream of
! carts. and another stream of ambu-
! lances moves northward, for the place
must be cleared for today's victims.
| The eternal pines whisper above the
tombs of the Chinese emperors In the
fields watchfres are burning. The sky
is lighted with the glare of burning
| stores and evacuated villages.
The forces are gathering for today's
fight.