The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-03-16
GATHER AT TIE PASS
Working Desperately to Strengthen
Lines to Meet the Japs.

Lines to Meet the Japs.
st. Petersburg March l4.-Russia's
grand army" with the exception OF
the thousands killed or taken prison
ers on the plains and mountains
around Mukden. is gathering slowly
behind the Notifications of Tie Pass.
which were built as a refuge before
the battle of Lao Yang. and is fever
ishly engaged in the work Of reorgani-
cation and further strengthening its
lines. According 10 the general stan.
the main body has already completed
its retreat. and the rear guard south
ward is falling back slowly, keeping
in touch with the pursuing columns
of Japanese. In the complete absence
Of further information yesterday 1t Is
difficult TO say whether the pursuit has
slackened or is being conducted by
only a portion of the Japanese, and
military officials here hope that, as
after the battle of Lao Yang, Field
Marshal Oyama has paused TO give his
weary troops a momentary breathing
space, while extending his railroad
and other lines of supply to his new
position and preparing for the next
blow.
To the Russian army every minute
is now valuable. and the fOOtsore and
disheartened detachments have been
given scarcely an hours rest before
being set at work with spade and pick
improving the defenses of the pass.
1t may be. however, that even now
they are being turned out of those
positions. Rumors are current that a
wide eastward fanking movement,
which was begun before the battle, is
still in progress, and on the other side
it is feared that all the columns are
moving north of Fakoman to take a
position in the Russian rear.
General Kuropatkin still holds COM
mand. An officer of the general STAFF
said that he probably will not retire
until some semblance of order has
been restored. The question of his sue
cessor is still undetermined.
There are indications that the food
supply at Tie Pass is none too large
immense quantities having been burn
ed at Mukden; and Russian cores.
pondents telegraph that they have had
nothing TO eat for two days. The
troops. however, probably are farine
better The commissariat arrange
ments worked admirably during the
battle. and even at the height Of the
fghting the soldiers received warm
food.
kilograms from the Russian side
though inadequate as a basis for any
detailed estimate Of the Russian
losses, show that they have been ex
tremely heavy. enough to cripple Of
fensive operations for many months
General Kuropatkin admits that $4,000
wounded were carried of. but says
nothing as to how many killed. wound
ed and prisoners were left behind; and
from his picture Of little handful OF
two officers and $50 men OF the I'm
perial Rifles marching off, led by their
gallant colonel, clinging to their stand
ard, can be derived some idea of the
losses sustained by the regiments that
bore the brunt of the fighting. The
exploit of the 800 at Balaklava pales
besides this. Even the losses in the
Bloody Angle" Of the Wilderness and
In the battle of Antietam are scarcely
comparable.
The losses OF officers is said to have
been especially heavy, and many OF
the higher and more capable officers
we're killed.