New-York tribune., 1905-03-20
INCIDENTS OF RETRE4T.
Russian Troops in Panic-Lack OF
Food at Tie Pass.

&. Petersburg March 2O-A sheaf Of belated
Associated Press dispatches filed at Moukden'
Tie Pass and Kai-Yuan reached ST. Petersburg
last evening having been discovered among
other papers committed TO the censor at the
front where they had lain from a week TO
twelve days Writing under date Of March
the correspondent msntions that General Kuro-
patkin's confident declaration Of satisfaction
with the situation had steadied and encouraged
the army after eight days battle The wound
ed exceeding in number those of the battle OF
Iiao-Yang, were crowding the station and the
Russian settlement. and in the settlement cene-
terry chaplains were conducting continual fu-
neral ceremonies A few quotations from the
correspondents notebook indicate the grewsome-
ness Of the scene:
Everywhere were pale faces of corpses sleep
fns among dead horses, slaughtered animals and
abandoned quarters of beef. Bloody bandages
which had fallen OF strew the roads. There is
bursting shrapnel everywhere; six horses were
killed q hundred feet away. wagon train
ahead has stopped while two soldiers are quar-
relng plaintively about horse feed. Dead and
wounded are passing, on the shoulders Of SOL
diers in mule ltters, carts, wagons or Chi
nese vehicles. Here one Russian and enc Jap
anese wounded side by side, feed each other;
there lie seven little Japanese wounded to whom
big Russians are kindly attentive. In the soft
sunshine gravediggers are at work on all the
roadways. Japanese officers who had been
taken prisoners are seen In the streets of the
settlement Everywhere evidences that tho
two great armies have come closer TO handgrtps
than ever before.
In the concluding portion Of dispatch from
Tie Pass. the first part Of which was published
March IL, the correspondent states that, ac-
cording to information, the Japanese strength
in Moukden less by eighty battalions than
that Of the Russians. The Japanese also were
inferior in guns at many places. The number
of men at the beginning of the battle was
ia
constructed. Not only in duration and the num-
Der of troops and guns engaged did the battle
exceed all former contests, but also in expendi-
ture of ammunition, the stores of which were
enormous that after a continuous artillery
fire OF ten days both sides were still able TO
continue
Describing the retreat, the dispatch pictures
debris strewn along the road, marching soldiers
increasing their loads by spearing bread, vege-
tables or fruit on their bayonets. at the same
time discarding heavy boots. Chinese garments
knapsacks and blankets. After the first ex-
element at Tava, where few wagoners plunged
without reason over impossible gulches. the en-
tire body arrived at the steep banks of the Pu
River, where heavy artillery FASTENED down
upon the water covered ice. which slowly gave
way. The dispatch says:
Tremendous exertion was required in getting
the guns out and UP the further bank, the ner
IN the little gorge getting into white heat o.
excitement. The passage OF division through
the retreating column on the way TO the south
west TO strengthen the right flank gave conf
dence Of short duration, for Japanese cavalry
breaking through above Tie Pass. overlook u.
ct San-Tai-Tse. The roads and fields were
solid mass of transports and the dust was 81
formidable that ii was impossible TO hun
dred yards japanese grenades gave the initia
impression Of shrapne and. with rife fire
set the jammed mass into confusion. Day
break disclosed the plain covered with rider
less horses, horseless vehicles, fragments o
harness, heaps Of stores and furniture Nigh
found the army bravely bivouacking oi
bare plains, swept by cold, searching wind
with not a solitary dugout to shelter them bu
preparing new position.