Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-06-23
through. while oku drove in the rus

through. while Oku drove IN the rus"
| sian right.
The effect % these preliminary en-
gagements was to drive KuropatlSin's
forces back to within five miles OF
| Liaoyang. He was still south or the
Taitxe river, however.
For two days the fortune OF the bat
tie swayed TO neither army. Kuropat-
kin had made the level plain around
Liaoyang q labyrinth OF redoubts,
trenches, earthworks. pitfalls. and
barbed wire entanglements. These the
Japanese were compelled 70 capture by
assault. at a fearful cost OF killed and
wounded.
on the night OF September / Oyama
did a daring thing. He threw Kurokfs
army-excepting one division--across
the Taitze river, TO turn the entire Rus
sian position. seize the railroad, and
cut off the Russian retreat TO Mukden
Orion, one OF the commanders sent
to hold Kuroki in check. b~iundered
most frightfully. Disregarding his or
ders TO hold a certain position until re-
inforced by Stackelberg's corps, he
tried to attack Kuroki alone. As a re-
sult Orloff was crushed, and Stacked
berg extricated his own corps with diff
ficulty. In fact, Kuropatkin telegraphed
to St. Petersburg that Stackelberg n
his army had been cut off.
In spite of Orloff's blunder, he held
Il kalOh III oAANA $500
withdrawn his guns from the plains OF
Liaoyang, burned his stores, bowed up
his a~rsenals. and moved his entire
army across the Taitze river and had 1t
well on the road to Mukden.
The Russian losses at the battle of
Liaoyang were enormous. Kuropatkin
lost two generals, 256 officers. and IL
500 men. Oyama's loss was 1883 Of
ficers and men killed or wounded.
Gear Orders an Advance.
The question OF whether the next
fight would take place south OF Muk-
den or whether kuropatkin, as had
been expected, wouid continue his re-
treat till he reached the strong posi-
ton Of Tiehling was settled by the
appearance, October 2. OF a remarkable
proclamation to his troops, in which
people thought-and still think. In
spite OF the viceroy's subsequent de-
n~ials-that they traced the hand OF
Alexieff, or of some rhetorician In the
war office at st. Petersburg. In It the
general declared that he now for the
first time had force enough to defeat
the Japanese and that at last, the In
flexible will of the emperor that the
foe should be ~vanquished would be in
iexibly fulfilled The Manchurian
army, he said, was now strong enough
to begin the forward movement, n
he appealed to his troops to win the
| fIClOI1 ntii1h ,oliOOAa h1 'iS
nifty and rights OF Russia and relieve
the Port Arthur garrison.
The Russian advance brought on
almost Immediately the battle OF the
Shakhe river, which continued day and
night for eleven days. 1t far exceeded
the battle OF Liaoyang in ferocfty, in
generalship, n in losses.
Over a front of t~wenty-three miles
the struggle ragged with varying for
tunes during Sunday, Monday n
Tuesday, October Gall; on Wednesday
the Japanese began their COUNTER at
tack, and by Thursday night the Rus
sian right and center had been driven
back with enormous losses.
Kuropatkin's forward movement had
failed. and his general orders 10 the army,
instead of bidding them TO advance, now
A commanded them ITO offer the most res
dilute resistance This command they
manfully obeyed, and the honor OF the
Russian arms was yindicated by such incl
dents as the fight at Lone Tree hill on Oc-
tober l6, which ended in a most desperate
encounter with the bayonet and in the
partial destruction of Brigad.er General
Yamada's corps, north of Shahopau. by a
division of the enemy, who took fourteen
guns. This success, though only a small
set-off to the loss Of forty-five guns which
the Russians had left with other spoils in
the hands of the japanese, raised the spir-
it's of the Russians.
The losses of the Russians were appall-
ing. over 1900 Russian dead were buried
by the ~victors, and 1t seems certain that
IN these ten or eleven days of terrible
ightirg the Russians lost quite $4,000, and
probably $1,000, in killed and wounded.
whilst the Japanese losses amounted, ac-
cording to the official returns, to only 15.-
$40 killed and wounded,
Near War With England.
-. -. q - IL - n -
campaign for the year and both armies
went into winter quarters. The siege Of
Port Arthur. however, was prosecuted
with greater vigor than ever.
In the meantime England and Russia
had been brought to the verge OF war by
"the North sea affair." The Russian Bal
tic fleet, commanded by Vice Admiral Ro-
jestvensky, sailed from Libau on October
Is for the far east. The officers, from the
vice admiral down 10 the midsh.pnen, had
been wrought up to a state of high nerv-
Gus tension by rumors OF a mysterious
feet OF Japanese torpeGoboats supposed 10
be lurking in the North sea. AS a result
of their fears the Russian officers opened
fire on every vessel that came within sight,
discharging shells at German. Danish, ard
Norwegian steamers arc sailing vessels
Unfortunately.
ON the night of October 2l-22 the Baltic
fleet, while passing over Doggers bank in
the North sea, encountered a fleet OF Eng
lish fishing boats, and without waiting TO
investigate began a furious ~cannonade.
Th battleships turned their searchlights
on the fishing boats and for twenty min
utes poured N a storm of shot and shell,
sinking one vessel. the Crane, killing It's
captain and mate. and wounding several
members OF its crew. Two or three other
fishing boats were badly damaged.
The news of the outrage infiamcd the
British nation. ard England made instant
preparation for war. An explanation was
demanded OF Russia and the fleets put IN
motion. Premier Balfour insisted tYtt the
Baltic feet be detained at a ncutrM port
pending an inquiry. Russia pointd3 gu
hat this was impossible--and the fleet
continued on it's way.
I Then arose an angry roar from the Brit
!, ish people. and orders were given TO inter
cept the Russian fleet at Gibraltar. The
Mediterranean feet sailed from Malta to
Gibraltar, and the channel feet OF eight
battleships, commanded by SIR Charles
Beresford, was drawn up, decks cleared
for action, across the pathway of Rojest-
vensky's squadron.
After considerable delay the two power:
agreed to submit the question of RESPONSE.
bility for the North sea affair to a com
mission of five admirais, one to be named
by Russia, one by Great Britain. The
other three were to be appointed by tn,
United States, France and Austria. The
commission met at Paris on January 3
1906, and took the testimony OF many
witnesses. The officers of the Russian