The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-03-12

Pass are covered with troops. artil-
lery and baggage transports pressing
nOrthward, and twenty-five miles away
the strong rear guard of troops, which
IS commanded by General Kuropatkin,
it retiring slowly. doggedly disputing
with the pursuing enemy every foot
OF ground in order to cover the retreat
to the rear of the army.
The losses in this defeat, which is
the most bitter yet experienced by the
Russian army, by moderate cOmpu
tation are not less than SOC, 900 men on
both sides.
Enormous Sacrifices.
The Russians. in addition, sacrificed
enormous quantities of munitions and
stores. the greater part of which were
set on fire before leaving MUkden-
1t IS impossible to say whether the
Russians will be able TO put up "A fight
and hold this position or whether it
VIII be necessary to continue to re-
treat to Hardin, but the rank and file,
whose military qualities never shone
so brightly as in retreat or defeat,
are far from being panic-strici.eh, and
under capable leadership and if given
a brief time to strengthen positions,
may be able 70 check their pursuing
enemy at this point.
The Order to Retreat.
The order to abandon Mukden and
retreat to the Tie Pass position was
given at . o'clock On the evening of
March 2. At dawn of that day the
Russians held a. line on the Hun river
from point ten miles east of Flu
shun ia Madyapu, the west front eX-
tending to a point six miles north of
MUkden station. the continuous line
Of battle generally paralleling the rail
way four or five miles distant
A terrible dust storm ragged and ten
sion had reached its extreme limit. 1t
was realized that If any point of the
Russian line gave way all would be
lost.
Commanded in Person.
The position in the most extreme
danger appeared to be north of N1uk-
den station, where it seemed for a time
that the japanese might break through
and entirely cut the lines of retreat.
General KUropatkin concentrated heavy
columns there, took command himself,
and succeeded during Thursday morn
ing in forcing the Japanese back from
the railroad and also in driving out
bodies of japanese east of the rail
road.
The maneuver appeared to point to
success. when news arrived that the
japanese had broken through between
the slender First and Fourth army
corps, taking advantage of the hUrri-
cane, that was blowing clouds of dust
into the faces of the Russians, to de
liver an attack which the Russians
were not prepared to meet.
Support Was impossible.
It was impossible to support the re-
firing corps. as the reserves to the last
man had been sent to the line of bat
tie at other points, and as the danger
of communications being severed by
this attack from the east was immi-
nent, retreat was determined upon and
Immediately began
The four principal roads leading
northward toward Tie Pass were COM
of artillery and transports, and the re-
treating army blackened the country
between.
The Torch Applied.
Before beginning the retreat all the
depots, stores and military buildings
and everything that would be of serV-
ice to the japanese was set on fire.
A large amount of baggage and many
guns We're abandoned. All rolling
stock belonging to the railroad was
brought away, and not a single car or
locomotive was left at Mukden.
About 1,50O severely wounded Rus
slams and several hundred japanese
were left at Mukden hospitals The
remainder of the wounded in hospitals
were sent nOrthward and a railroad
train remained behind almost with the
rear guard ana DfOuSnt or a tralnlOaQ
OF those wounded in the retreat many
Of whom reached Tie pass without their
injuries being bandaged.
Dreary Retreat.
Mukden station was abandoned at :
o'clock Friday morning. The retreat
was dreary>and disa greeabIe to an ex-
treme. a dust hurricane blowing di-
rectly southwark filled the eyes and
faces of the troops, but at the same
time tended TO blind the enemy and de-
lay pursuit from the suorh.
The retreating columns were bonn
barded on both TANKS by batteries
which II was impossible to silence, the
shells reaching the mandarin road from
the east with especial frequency from
the village of Tawan, eight miles north
of Mukden, and Pu, five miles further
north Under these circumstances the
retreat was conducted with astound-
ing precision, which was largely due to
the personal efforts of General Kuro-
patkin who. with haggard face and