The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-03-23
KUR0PATK|N FIRED
Luck|ess General Dismissed
in Disgrace by Gar.
MOST SCATHING REBUKE
Laconic Imperial Order Relieves Him
from Command and Places Gen.
erai Linevitch at Head Of Land
and Naval Forces.

A st. Petersburg special says: With
the japanese hanging on the heels
and fanks of the remnants of the
broken, defeated army, General Kuro-
patkin, the old idol of the private
soldier, has been dismissed and dis
graced, and General Linevitch, COM
mander of the first army, is appointed
to succeed him in command of all tie
Russian land and sea forces operating
against Japan.
The word disgrace is written in
large letters in the laconic imperial
order gazetted, which contains not a
single word of praise, and also dis
poses Of the rumor that Kuropatkin
had asked to be relieved. The Rus
sian military annals contain no more
bitter rebuke.
While it was known that the coun-
Gil had already decided to supplant
Kuropatkin after the Mukden disaster,
the decision to confer the task OF
saving the remainder Of the army on
Lietenant General Linevitch in the
very midst Of it's flight, although bruis'
ed Thursday night, came as surprise.
It transpires that Emperor Nicholas:
upon the advice of General Drogormi.
rolf and War Minister Sakharoff, de-
termined that the step was necessary
when it became apparent Thursday
morning that Kuropatkin, while con-
centrating for stand at Tie Pass,
seemed unaware that the Japanese
had worked around westward again
and practically allowed himself to be
surprised.
Old reports brought by General
Grippenburg regarding Kuropatkin's
failing mentality also had it's influence.
Under the circumstances, therefore,
it was considered imperative, in view
of the exceedingly perilous position
OF IuG dlulJ W lQ1l SfSA ASS NS@AA~~S>N
to Linevitch, who alone had been able
to bring off his army in order afSer
the battle Of Mukden. His record in
the Chinese war had also demonstraI-
ed his capacity as commander. Ku-
ropatkin will return to st. Petersburg
forthwith.
The task confded to Linevitch of
withdrawing what is left of the great
army of 350,000 men to Harbin is
desperate one He is hemmed in on
all sides. General Kawamura, pre-
sumably is pressing northWa1d
through the mountains eastward ready
to swoop down; Generals Nogi and
Oku are on the west of the Russian
forces; the whole line of the railroad
is threatened, if not already cut, ana
Chinese bandits are even reported to
be in the rear of Harbin.
Decided anxiety is felt in st. re-
tersburg regarding the fate OF the
army in Manchuria, under its new
commander, no news OF military oe-
velopments having been received for
many hours.
The only dispatches from the front
Friday were brief announcements
that General Linevitch had assumed
command and that General Kuropat'
kin was departing for st. Petersburg,
which disposes of rumor that the
latter had committed suicide.
In this correspondents opinion no
pause in the Japanese advance IS
probable for some time. The Rus
slams are losing heavily in the rear
guard actions, and Japanese columns
are reported to be pushing northward
as fast as possible to complete the
development of the Russian forces.