The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-03

LoNDOY May 2.-The Toxic orres-
pOndent Of the Times gives q feature Of
the Lattle Of Mukden which must rank
az one Of the greatest feats Of arms In
history. The japanese Oficial report Of
March contained the following:
This day our troops took about two
thirds Of Iikwanpau. In the afternoon
n division Of the enemy made a counter
attack, but after a severe fight our men
held their ground
These few words refer to one Of the most
desperate conflicts OF the war. LikwRnpau
Is a village nine miles west Of Mukden.
It's capture formed pat OF the program
assigned TO Gen. Oku's army Of forcing
the Russia ms back from all their positions
southwest Of Mukden, thus masking the
turning movement Of Gen. NogPs army.
A brigade Of the Nagoya division under
comma nd OF Gen. Nambu, attacked Likw
pau. The district 10 Hat, affording no
cover and the ground frozen hard. defied
entrenchment tools rush during dark
ness offered the only hope Of success.
The Russian forces comprised four army
corps and one division Gen. Nambu's
brigade ultimately found itself struggling
against a whole army cops. being out
les, persevered In their attack forcing
the enemy from house to house until two
thirds Of the place was in their hands.
They then saw themselves threatened with
a complete failure Of ammunition. They
had used every cartridge In the pouches
Of their fallen comrades, and had used even
the rifles and ammunition Of the enemy's
dead and wounded. A message must be
carried to the division headquarters, but
the regiment was surrounded. It's fellow
regiment. upon which the maintenance Of
communication depended, had been borne
back by sheer weight Of numbers.
To emerge from the cover Of the village
into the open could scarce result In any
thing but death. Col Takenouchi was
wounded In three places, vet, supporting
himself on his sword he called for
volunteers Three men dashed OH by
different routes to summon Succor
among them Major Okosh He gal
Hoped safely through the village, but on
emerging he fell fatally hun by shapnel
IL had been bis hope TO rejoin his comrades
after delivering his message TO Gen. NambI,
or At least TO meet his fate on his return
journey. but now he saw himself struck
down in the act Of riding away from the
scene Of the combat Taking paper and
pencil from his pocket he wrote a. follows:
To Gen. NAmbu: Testament Of Major
Okoahi
Sir. That instead Of lighting side by
side with the Colonel Of my regiment and
It's battalion commanders have left the bat
tlefield alone Ia because, by desire Of my
Colonel WA about to report the state Of
affairs to you, / did not disregard the
dangers on the way. but being unable to
witness the strslts to which my Colonel
and my comrades were redu ced IL was
my purpose to adventure my life in order
TO convey the facts TO the commander Of
the brigade 80 that some means Of suocor
might be continued, after which intended
TO return 70 the field and share the fate Of
my brother officers and men But have
been wounded on the way. and to my bitter
regret have failed TO aooo npiish my pur-
pose. Therefore | am about to die in order
to rejoin beyond the grave my comrades
and soldiers under my command. Ny
right arm being wounded, however.
cannot use my sword, and must therefore
have recourse TO my pistol. beg you 10
pardon this now. For all your hndnesses
through many years thank you with
sincere heart, and pray you may acquire
lasting military fame. Being exhausted,
I find difficulty in writing 80 / ask you to
excuse my brevity.
-OKosI. Major.
Lying near was a soldier, who was severely
wounded. Major Okoshi entrusted the
lett or to him and then shot himself
Ammunition aud reenforoementA arrived |
In time, but the casualties In the two regi- /
ments had been 100 officers and 1000 Of the |
rank and file. or the enemy more than |
s 900 lay killed or wounded. The Nagoya |
division had done its duty nobly, for though !
il had not driven back The enemy 1t had held !
in check a greatly superior force, which. II
released, would have impsriled the turning
OF Gen. Nogi's army, and might
thus have changed the issue Of the battle.
A kAnjo was subsequently handed to the
division by Field Marshal Oyama Il nan
thUs:
sOn the 7th OF March and continuously
until the 81 h, At Bikwanpau, you successfully
resisted an attack by a force Of the enemy
many times your superior in numbers. In
the desperate fight with the numerous
haiti aions ationed to guard Likwanpau
YOU we're not deferred by heavy casualties
and inhict cd enormous lOssss on the enemy,
and finally frustrating his design enabled
the Third Army TO successfully carry out
it's turning operation. / consider that your
has been truly great and
confer on you this kanjo. 'oIAMA,'
This IL the division which had already
itself at Nanshan Hill by
wading throug the sea 20 attack the Rus-
sian eft on the high lands Of the KinchSu
Isthmus Every unit Of the corps deserved
a kanjo for it, tight at Mukden. hut none 40
well as the two regiments Of Gen. Nambu's
brigade.
The comment Of the Japanese on Major
Okoshi's testament Is that its entire free
dom from passion or emotion is worthy Of
soldier. Incidents Of this character reveal
The character Of the Japanese.
down WIN 4JTOOR4CYr'