Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-17
MILITARY SENSATION
Over General Gripenberg's
Arrival in st. Petersburg.
HIS FRANK AVOW AL
WILL PERSONALLY REPORT ON
SITUATION TO TEE GEAR.
Gives Account of His Service at the
Gives Account of His Service at the
Front Why He Relin-
quished Command.

ST. PETERSBURG, February 1.-THE
arrival in St. Petersburg of General Grip
enberg, former commander of the Second
Manchurian army, who reached here at
midnight has caused a good deal of sensa-
tion in military circles. The general frank
ly avows that he relinquished his command
after the recent attempt of the Russians to
flank Field Marshal Oyama, because, as he
claims, General Kuropatlin refused to send
him help when victory was in General
Gripenberg's hands, instead of ordering the
latter to withdraw. Gripenberg will per-
sonally report on the situation to Emperor
Nicholas. 1t is too early TO say what the
result will be, although it is evident that
Kuropatkin's enemies are pushing their
campaign against him. X is only fair to
Kuropatkin to say that his friends claim
that Kuropatkin's side ofa.he story is that
he only intended to make a demonstration
in force, and that Gripenberg pressed the
attack too far and became too much in
volved.
In an interview General Gripenberg said:
Account of His Army's Battle.
81 am glad to give an account of the bat
tie of my army, the kilograms l have seen
being far from the truth. Kuropatkin, OF
course, authorized the advance, but he i'm
posed the condition that it should not go
beyond Heikoutai and Sandepas. My plan
was to capture Haikoutai and thence out
flank Sandepas. From the first army corps
before Heikoutai 1 detached brigade,
which occupied Heikoutai January 70.
"The japanese cut in from the south ana
the brigade came under crossfire, but held
out until l got up another brigade to cover
its retreat. The japanese We're now coh-
centrating on their Left. During the even
inc Of Ia I nv
dered under no circumstances to fail pack
from our positions. The next morning my
whole front was engaged, the troops belns
disposed as follows:
ION the extreme right the hrst corps
Then the first rifle corps and the n1th dlVl-
sion of the second corps, which mad just
arrived from Russia
Enemy Had Twice as Many Troops.
Altogether l had sixty-two battalions.
The enemy had twice as many. The battle
of January 26 was continued until the even
ing We did not surrender an inch OF
ground. My left flank which was clearing
the road to Sandepas being weak, asked
the commander-in-chief, who had sixty bat
talions available, for reinforcements. he
declined to send any, apparentiy taxing the
JapaneSe demonstration. at the center as
being a general advance Nevertheless
decided to storm Heikoutai the next day
All the surrounding villages were ALREADY
| in hands.
early January q the fiercest fighting
occurred We again held our own Ihe
road to Sandepas, the Japanese point OF
concentration, was quite clear of the enemy
I therefore again appealed to the command.
er-in-chief for reinforcementS. II ne nae
| listened to my entreaties we would nave
| riven the iron ring Of 100000 OF the enerny
THE Japanese being menaced by strong
| force of Russian cavalry from the solti
and southwest, evidently realized the DAN
ger of tackling u.s.
Gallantry Of His Brave Comrades.
'In desperation, January %. they fou'
times desperately assaulted our outer posi-
| tions and were beaten off each time II
such brilliant fashion that 1t does my
heart good to remember the gallantry O.
my brave comrades. might easily hav'
followed up these repulses by headlont
offensive. but was tied down by the com
mander-in-chiefs restrictions and his re
fusal to send me reinfOrcemenfs. HoV
anxiously I awaited a reply on both SUD
jects! Just think OF what victory meant
Complete victory was In our grasp. Tn
loss of thousands of lives was not dreadfu
before such a result.
''The repay of General Kuropatkin arrives
at in the evening in the shape o
an order to leave small force in our posi-
ti0ns and move up the army to his sup
port In view of the expected Japanese 40
vance on the center. How was It possl6t