The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-01-05
so THE WHITE FLAG WENT UP"

protected cruiser Pallada caught fire
so THE WHITE FLAG WENT UP"
Russian officer Tells Of Awful Horror
at Fortress.
Chefoo. Jan. 3.-This morning three
Russian torpedo launches from Port
Arthur arrived here. There are seven
Japanese torpedo boat desroyers IN
the harbOr.
Besides the six vessels here. II Is
learned that the torpedo boat destroy
ers Smirli and Boiki and transport
left Port Arthur Sunday nightf the lat
ter carrying 800 wounded soldiers, and,
according to a dispatch from Tsingtau,
succeeded in reaching that port.
1t is now believed that there will be
no trouble. as the Russians are SEEM
ingly sincere in the disarmament of
their destrOyers.
The Russian officers have a single
word for what the fortress has been
for the past FIVE days. during which
the japanese have bombarded and as
saulted it ceaselessly night and dag.
They use the word profanely and con-
vincingly. declaring that the horrors
witnessed were beyond description.
There was not a single spot in the
town which was safe from shrapnel.
Many of the hospitals were hit and
the wounded refused to stay in them.
Some lay in the streets on heaps Of
wreckage, exposed 10 the bitterly cold
weather. and some staggered back TO
the front defying the japanese til
taken prisoners or death came merCi-
fully to end their sufferings. There
were five days and nights of this state
of affairs
"Our plight Sunday night" said Cap
tain Kartzow. commander OF the tor
pedo boat destroyer Vlastni, looked
like the last There was no stopping
the Japanese. who died in droves and
fought with the last instructive twitCn
of the nerves, with eyes fixed on the
Liaoti Mountain Stoessel had killed
a japanese army and exhausted his
ammunition. They became more furi-
GUS and fateful than ever. SO the white
flag went up"
Continuing. Captain Kartzow said:
Port Arthur falls of exhaustion
exhaustion not only of ammunition,
but Of men. The remnant Of the gar
rison left had been doing the work
Of heroes for five days and FIVE nights,
but Sunday they reached the limit OF
human endurance.
I'm the classmates of the forts one
saw everywhere faces black with star
walton, exhaustion and nerve strain.
You spoke to them, but they did not
give answer, only staring dumbly.
"The lack of ammunition alone
would not have suggested the asking
Of terms. Scant ammunition had long
been common in the fortress during the
past month. and many Of the forts
had nothing with which to return the
FIRE of the enemy.
"The Russians sat in the classmates
firing not. more than once to the 200
shots sent by the Japanese. When the
assault came they repulsed the enemy
with bayonets. But the men them
selves, having existed for three months
on reduced rations. were so worn that
1t is marvellous they stood the final
strain SO long.
Sunday night General Stoessel
would still fight His wound, which
was received early in the siege, had
been bothering him, but his determi-
nation to fight while one man stood
had not been diminished.
"But we cannot fight, said his gen.
erals. Our men canont move. They
sleep standing. They cannot see the
bayonets at their breasts. We can
order but they cannot obey
"'Then you generals fight said
Stoessel, clenching his fists.
"He seemed fanatical on the sub
ject. but finally he was brought to see
.easUn Dy tne insIstence OF MS suoor-
dinates. Admirals Lochinsky and
Wren, Generals Smyrnoff and Fock
and many others, sometimes with
broken voices, urged the step which
all dreaded so long.
Il am sure Port Arthur would have
sought terms a month ago had 1t not
been for General Stoessel, who with
bulldog tenacity steadily refused 10
permit such action to be taken. He
had told his emperor that he would
rever surrender, and he meant to keep
his word.
"The greatest loss suffered by Port
Arthur occurred a fortnight ago, when
Major General Kondratenko was
killed. Officers and men alike regarded
him as the brightest star in Port Ar
thurs armament. When his death be-
came known the fall In the spirits OF
the soldiers was plainly visible.
General Kondratenko was seated In
the casemate of certain fort discus
sing with seven other officers the best
way of countermining against the
Japanese, when an 11-inch she'll burst,
killing everybody in the casemate.
General Nogi has taken Port Ar
thur with his artillery and bis tunnels
His rife bullets were seldom found to
be Of any use.
Eve constantly endured lombard
ment fiercer than any In history. The
japanese perennlally assaulted. and