The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-01-12
RUSSIANS MARCH OUT
First Detachment of Port Arthur
Garrison Start For Japan.
sToEssELTHoUeHT RELIEF NEAR
kuropatkin Told Him October 6 That
He Was Coming Soon, and Was
Amazed to Hear Of His Defeat.
Spies Deceived Him.

He Was Coming Soon, and Was
Amazed to Hear Of His Defeat
Spies Deceived Him.
Headquarters Of the Third Japanese
Army at Port Arthur. Jan. 10. via
Yinkow and Tion Tsin-Fiye thou
sand men Of the Russian garrison at
Port Arthur were marched from the
village Of Yahutsui, on the shores OF
Pigeon Bay. for - miles to the rail-
way station at ChanglingtzI. and the
other detachments followed soon al
ter. Each detachment was accompanied
by six loaded transport carts.
The Russians during the night will
be taken on special trains Of open
trucks TO Dalny and there they will
Immediately embark for Japan on
transports now waiting in that port.
The long procession Of the remnants
OF the gallant Russian garrison was a
pathetic spectacle. The first arrivals
at Changlingtzu were four droskies
drawn by sorry-looking horses. They
contained the staff officers who had
refused TO give their parole. All wore
their swords. as they were allowed to
do under the terms Of the capitulation
compact.
A few minutes later the first de-
tachment arrived. The regimontal Off
GERS marched with their men, their
heads bowed and their faces scanned
with lines, showing the result OF the
mental and physical strain they had
undergone during the long defense.
The officers saluted the European
and American correspondents with the
japanese army. and appeared to be
both pleased and astOnished at seeing
the Europeans and Americans there.
The prisoners were treated with the
greatest respect and kindness, though
they were regarded with much natural
curiosity.
Captain Tsunoda, the japanese staff
officer who was sent to Port Arthur to
inform General Stoessel Of the contents
of the message Of the emperor Of ia
pan, saying that the garrison should
be treated with the greatest consid-
Grafton, says
General Stoesse's first inquiry was
about the whereabouts o. General
Kuropatkln. said | did not know ex-
actly, but understood he was some-
where about Mukden.
General St0essel remarked that he
had last heard from General Kuro-
patkin October 6, saying he would
come 10 the relief Of Port Arthur soon.
General Stoessel added that he had
sent out Chinese spies. who returned
and reported that General KurOpatkin
with a relieving army was at kinchou,
20 miles north OF Port Arthur. Cen
eral Stoessel was plainly incredulOus
at my statement that General Kuro-
patkin had been defeated and driven
back towards Mukden, so | produced
maps, showed him the position Of the
two armies near the Shakhe river and
gave Stoessel details Of Kuropatkin's
defeat, with the loss Of $4,000 to 10000
men. at which the Russian general ex-
pressed amazement and quickly re-
marked that he had been misled.
General Stoessel then asked where
the Baltic feet was, and told him
that some of the ships had not passed
the Cape of Good Hope.
with a hopeless expression, General
Stoessel said:
"Now that Port Arthur has fallen
there is no use for the feet coming
any further
"I then asked General Stoessel what
mad caused the most damage to the
garrison during the siege, and he re-
piled;
"'Your 11-inch howitzers. After they
arrived our defensive works became
useless
"The real cause of the war was, in
General Stoessers opinion the ignor-
ance of the Russian people Of the
fighting qualities of the Japanese. The
first attack on Port Arthur in Febru-
airy by the Japanese fleet was a tre-
mendous surprise. The forts, he ex-
planned, were only partly garrisoned
by 1000 troops.
General Stoessel further said that
he had served his emperor in three
wars. and had been thrice wounded,
first in the Russo Turkish war, Sec
ond in the Boxer trouble and third at
Port Arthur. Now he felt he had
earned the right to return TO Russia
to live in his old age with his family.
The general added that he was taking
home with him five children of officers
who had been killed during the siege.
after his conference with General
Nogi. General Stoessel expressed grati-
fcation at meeting so pleasant a gen.
tIeman. He had not expected the con-
isderate treatment accorded 10 him.
General Nogi appeared to General
Stoessel as an old friend rather than
as the commander Of an army which
had forced him to surrender"