The Bowbells tribune. [volume] (Bowbells, Ward Co., N.D.) 1899-1969, 1905-01-06
PORT ARTHUR FALLS
Thrilling Story Of the Long Siege and Sufferngs of
Brave Defenders.

Commander kartzow OF the Russian torpedo
boat destroyer Vlastni, in an interview with the
Associated Press correspondent at Che Foo on
Monday night, said:
not only OF ammunition but Of men. The remnant
OF the garrison left had been doing the work Of
heroes for FIVE days and five nights but yesterday
they reached the limit of human endurance In the
casemates OF the forts one saw everywhere faces
black with starvation, exhaustion and nerve
strain. You spoke to them, but they did not give
answer only staring dumbly. Yesterday Gen.
Stoessel would still fight. His wound, which was
received early in the SIEGE had been bothering him.
but his determination to fight while one man stood
had not been diminished. " But we cannot fight, ,
said his generals Our men cannot move. They
sleep standing. They cannot see the bayonets at
their breasts. We can order, but they cannot
obey "'Then you generals fight, said Stoesse
subject but finally he was brought to reason
by the insistence of his subOrdinates. 81 am sure
Port Arthur would have sought terms u month
ago had it not been for Gen. Stoessel, who, with
bulldog tenacity steadily refused to permit such
action to be taken. He had told his emperor that
he would never surrender, and he meant to keep
his word. Gen. Nogi has taken Port Arthur with
his artillery and his tunnels His rifle bullets were
seldom found to be OF any use. We constantly en-
dured a bombardment tercer than any III history.
The Japanese periodically assaulted and then. if
repulsed, they calmly resumed their bombard-
ments. 1t is simple story Had the ammunition
held out the fortress would have held out indei-
nitely. For months we held Port Arthur by bay
onets alone, until flesh and blood could do no
more. When man fell there none other to
replace. Thus the garrison was gradually worn
down. Two Hundred and Three Meter hill alone
cost us 5000 men, The capture OF that hill was
the beginning OF the end. The Japanese artillery
was exceenty served They had 400 guns bear
ing on 2O3 Meter hill They advanced their
trenches while the artillery was sheiny the Rus
slams out with a shower OF metal and then occu-
pied the Russian positions. tcost the .japaneseSO,-
600 men to take the fortress, while some say they
have lost over 100 900. The number OF our own
dead is not known even to the high officers. The
fighting since August has been mercess. When
Rihluny mountain was taken 800 men occupying
Il casemate were not able to emerge so 0nickl y
came the rush Of the japanese. The Russians
tried to emerge by the OF their hayonets in the
face of machine gun fire. Thus every man died
trying to resist machine guns with bavonetsalone
One peculiar incident OF the siege was fort No. 3
where for three months the japanese owned one
part Of the fort while the Russians occupied the
other. They fought ceaselessly, assaultng each
other and mining, and counter mining. Once
when Japanese prince killed the Japanese
sent to negotiate a truce in order they might re-
cover the body from heaps OF others which had
ong remained unbu1ied. The Russians received
The ENJOYS courteousy and in an easy manner as
I they had untold suppes gave them the last
bottle of beer at Port Arthur with the idea of ere
atng an impression OF pentitude. AS Il matter of
act the only ration for three months has consist
ID Of rice which ultimately caused hundreds to fall
ck OF scOrbut, a disease much like beliberi. Last
month the ratlOns were reduced 40 per cent.
Nothing too great "A sacrifice in order to i'm
,ress the enemy that all was we'll inside the fortress
Hhis is the first potato | have tasted for two
nonths-and is this really, truly steak??'