Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-11
|NSER|OUSSTRA|TS
Fate Of Kuropatkin is in
the Balance,
AWFUL LOSS OF LIVES
Retreat Marked by Bloodiest
Slaughter Of the War.
BRAVERY ON BOTH SIDES
FULL EXTENT OF RUSSIAN DIS
AsTER NOT YET KNOWN.
Prisoners Will Number Many Thou
saudc- -neSperate Fiphtiny at Night
BRAVERY ON BOTH SIDES
FULL EXTENT OF RUSSIAN DIS
ASTER NOT YET KNOWN.
Prisoners Will Number Many Thou
sands-Desperate Fighting at Night
by Almost Exhausted Forces.

The broken Russian army is des-
perately struggling northward after
e. enormous losses in men, guns and
supplies The rout seems complete,
and an unofficial report from st.
Petersburg says that kuropatAin
has lost 10000 prisoners. 10 the
the Japanese are closing in, and 1t
is apparent that Russia has met with
the crowning disaster of the war.
Official reports from Tokyo say
that thousands of Russians are
crowded into the district between
the railway and the Mukden road,
while the Japanese are pouring an
annihilating fire upon the demoral-
lied mass.
In a dispatch to the emperor,
General kuropatkin announces that
he is in full retreat and adds: How
manv are surrounded is not known
TOKYO, March 11-2 p.m.-The Russian
forces are now retiring from Mukden north
ward. They are fanked on both sides by
the japanese troops in pursuit, and
suffering heavy losses.
The full extent of the Russian disaster is
still unknown here. II is known however,
that the casualties and losses in guns and
1f
proximate figures are unobtanable as yet.
1t is expected that the prisoners will num-
Der. many thousands. Local estimates of
the pumber taken vary from twenty to
fifty thousand.
Kuropatkin's Plan.
1t is not clear yet whether General Kuro-
patkin planned to stand and hold his line
north of the Hun river or retire until he
found it was too late to accomplish his
plan with the forces al his command ow-
ing TO his confidence in the ability of the
Russian army to withstand assault. His
action i'll heavily reinforcing his right III
the neighborkood of Mukden incline many
to the belief that he planned to hold the line
on the Hun river and attempted to check
flank attack
BY a desperate onslaught the japanese
drove a wedge through the line of the Hun
river and then pressing northward practi-
cally created giant Gordon around Muk-
den. bagging a tremendous force of the
Russians by the operation completed yes
terday. Desperate fighting continued dur
ing the night, the Russians striving to
break the encirclng barrier.
Tremendous Loss of Life.
II is evident that the losses on both sides
yesterday were heavy, swelling the already
Tremendous total involved in the capture of
Fushun and the continuous heavy fighting.
1t is now known that as result of the
operations yesterday. if the japanese army
succeeds in obstructing the line of retreat
between Fushun and Tie Pass. but a small
fraction Of kuropatkins army will emerge
from he disaster.
The japanese wedge driven through the
Russian center on the Hun river continues
to advance north. 1t has already arrived
at Hampu, some distance northeast of
Mukden.
Retiring Badly Confused.
1t is reported that the Russians are retir-
ing north along the railway, evidently very
badly confused, being caught between the
wedge and the extreme Japanese left,
northwest of Mukden.
They have been heavily punished during
their retreat along the described route. the
Japanese Smelling the disOrdered masses of
the Russians.
Minister of War Teraoutchi has telegraph
Oyama, the officers and men of his army
their victory.
Field Marshal Oyama in reply ascribes
his success TO the emperor and the gallantry
and bravery OF his officers and men.
The following dispatch from the head
quarters of the Japanese armies in the
field made public today:
I'm the Singking (Yonden) direction our
force is now attacking superior force OF
the enemy occupying the northern height
!. Fushun.
"Au our forces in the Sha river direction
entirely dislodged the enemy on the right
bank of the Hun river Friday and sur
rounded the enemy east and north of
Mukdeu.
Troops Exhausted.
according TO several reports from noon
March 10, the Russians filled the distr,c.
between the railroad and the Mukden road
in great confusion and in state OF utter
exhaustion. Thousands upon thousands of
y Russians are in the district between Sam
wa, eight miles north of Mukden and MuK-
den retreating north in miserable condi-
ton. We are unable to ascertain the num-
Der. Our artillery and infantry in the vi
cinity are pouring fierce fire upon them,
inficting heavy damage
ION Friday our detachment hurrediy al
vanced from Singlingtien, on the Hun river
between Mukden and Fushun, and reached
the Pu river, thirteen miles north of Muk-
den, and at sunset was inficting heavy
damage to the remnants of the enemy
Our detachment Is now trying to annihia le
Them"
Japanese in Pursuit.
TOKYO, March II, p.m.-Later in the
Day the following dispatch waa received