The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-06-07
4 ROUTED ARMY
Japs And Russians Pictured On
The March And Ia Battle.
MUKDEN CAMPAIGN.

The Capture OF Two Whole Regiments OF
Russians, al One Time. Some Rus.
slams Badly Frightened when
Cornered. One Hundred
Thousand Prisoners.
Headquarters OF Gen Kuroki's Army,
near Tiehling, March 25.-The nISV
realizstion Of the imnensi5y OF the "a
panese forces was brought homo TO the
observer when the TWO central armies
rolled across the Shaho on the NOM
ing Of the suh Of March il the wake or
the retreating Russians. Hitherto
during the battle parts Of two or three
brigades Of infantry. with a fe" oatta
lions OF reserves, 9 dcZ5n Or more ca0-
teries, with pack trains and field hes,
pitals, we're all that cne person cou-d
see in the mountainous country OF the
great armies engaged. But when the
whole array moved norsh"aro with It's
impediments following it was az in
pressive host. looking from the
heights where the Russian batteries
had been, one could see many KHAKI
colored PROFESSIONS for miles on either
hand, emerging from the valleys ana
passes where the japanese had bsen
concentrating since October, stream
ing across the dry bed OF the river and
the narrow channels Of ice and wind
ing away among TIE bare hills aud
sandy plains northward. 1t was a bus,
mess like army, swathed ln dark blue
and khaki with no spectacular show, OF
gold braid, nor brass, and hardly q
touch of color except the scarlet blank
cts worn over the sholders. Most OF
the ranks were boys yet, out they
were toughene0 by q year Of campaign,
ING into hardy veterans. They plod-
ed on silently, as usual with no show
Of rejoicing over victory, without con-
fusion OF excited officers. japanese co
minion over Manchuria was spreading
at the rate Of two miles an hour. BY
The river banks were fields Of kaoliang
which had stood urharvested since fall
between the lines Of hostile canooo,
and through these were swarm!ns men,
women and children, 1eapins and stack
ing their crops. The cninauan frlt-
ters away no time gaping at victorious
armies when few dollars are &c b.
gathered.
For 10 days from that morning tee
whole Country within the erea OF >he
fighting was covered with midst cf
fine dust srlrred up by tee feet o.
more than million men and animals.
it never settled for minute, it cccck-
ed the throat AND blinded the eyes,
lifted under clothing, mad- fco0 gilt.
" and turned all water into mud. Fne
flames from burning houses and stacks
OF grain showed through it n the night
like the moon through fog. The Sano
storms, which began OF tie second
day OF the puCSu:s and coatirued al
intervals for a week, cam= frGm tbs
north directly into tie faces OF the
Japanese and made the discomfort aco
hardship worse. There was great
contrast between tie country south OF
the Shaho and north OF it. The vii
lases toward Mukden were larger aud
more prosperous, With better buildings,
and the picturesque temples and tones
surrounded by groves OF dark green
frs made a welcome panorama 20 the
eyes Of the men from beautiful Japan,
who had spent months among the
dreary and monotonouS hills Chinese
families gathered in front Of Their
houses and crested the japanese With
shouts. Doubtless they were equally
ready to acclaim the Russians, and
denounce the japanese when it was
polite. Outside the large towns Chi
nese officials wearing their robes OF
Office and buttons On aheir cgps, witt
banners and soldiers IA gau6y uni
ferns, received tie japanese generals,
and Gen. Kuroki and his staff rode
into the village where his heaCQuar-
tiers are now through double file CT
villagers kneelicg on both SIDES Of the
road.
THE RUSSIAN RETREAT.
The beginning OF the Russian re.
treat from the Shaho was orderly and
they left clean field. None OF their
portable effects worth taking had been
abandoned; except hundreds Of stacks
Of tin cases In the trenches and hutS,
containing cartridges.
Toward evening Of that Gay Gen.
Kuroki's troops overlook their rear
guards eight CT nine miles north Of
the Shaho and from that time the re-
treat became scramble tcr safety. At
the various supply stations huge piles
OF grain were fired and snyu:cecec 1oT
days. The pursuit continued all
through the night Of the eighth and
the right division Of KuroSi'S army
came to the branch line OF railroad
running from Mukden to the mines
at Fushun. On the morning OF the $40
the sand storm began, which threw
both sides into confusion and made o.
derly retreat OF pursuit on large
scale impossible. All tie telegraph
wires connecting the headquarters and
the different divisions were blown
down so that each contingent proceed
ed largely On its o~n responsibility.
The left division crossed the Honno
under cover IT the thick DUST clouds
without q battle. Apparently the Rus
sian commander was afraid to risk
a defense On such a day even in the
elaborate works, which should have
made the Hunbo the most formidable
line OF defense, perhaps because his
own men were in a psnic. Probably
this was the decisive Cay OF the bat.
tie. for the japanese forces west Q!