Evening journal., 1905-04-13
Armies IN Retreat.

OF his army in retreat sometimes has
an advantage over the most brilliant
strategist or the ablest fighter. Every
commander plans his retreat before
every battle. but OF course the situn-
ton Is constantly changing, and the
head OF the army. II defeated, must
decide instantly and make the right
move or panic and destruction are in
evitable. Napoleon lost mere men on
his famous retreat from Moscow than
he did in lighting at Waterloo. Famine
and cold helped the Russians in the
work Of slaughter but nevertheless
the Russians hustled the poor French
men into the pitiless storms. The great
master at war was all right when
things went his way, but in adversely
he lost his nerve.
General KurOpatkin made a master
" retreat from Liaoyang to Mukden,
but his withdrawal from Mukden was
the more difficult problem of the two.
He was compelled TO fight ON either
flank and I'm the rear and to maintain
front Of forty or fifty miles Nat
I uraliy his strongest columns moved
close TO the railroad in order to gunrd
/ the line from attack. The cavalry
! guarded the extreme flanks TO prevent
the Japanese from beating in the race
/ for Kirin. The first stage Of the re-
treat to Tie pass, a distance Of forty
five miles, was made in four days,
which shows that the pursuit was slow.
and that means that Kuropatkin was
armed for defense at all points. The
greatest opportunity for a telling
stroke that can come in a campaign is
when some mishap overtakes a retreat
ing army. Then the lines are not set,
discipline is lax. and the assailant has
the advantage. The fact that Kuropat-
kin has twice retreated in the face Of
the same general and not been caught
unawares stamps him as a military
genius Of a high order Marshal Ba.
zaine at Metz. IN the Franco -Prussian
war Of 1870. had much the same con
ditlons to face as Kuropatkin at Lao
, yang, and the Prussians overwhelmed
him as the japanese expected to over
D whelm KuropatlIin.
. One Of the famous retreats OF history
was that made by Sir John Moore. th'
British leader in the Spanish PENN
! sula, In 1sOs-9. Sir John marched 70
I a month from Astorga toward the sci
y and, reaching the port at Coruna be
fore the arrival Of ships to take hi
s army away, beat back the French ur
der Marshal Soult, dying almost at tn
6 hour when embarkation was complei
ed. soult himself made a skillful r,
treat from Oporto. Portugal, across tn
mountains into Spain during the sam
war. During the civil war Genert
e Robert L. Lee conducted several N
markably skillful retreats with troop
e defeated in battle. After the confiiC
in the Wilderness, May sc. 1864, hi
e army fought in retreat for mont
y finally bringing up IN front Of Ricl
mond and forestalling Grant, who ha
two armies, threatening the place frol
d two directions The Richmond can
!. paign Of 1864 has been called a rae
/: for Richmond. Three times during Il
o march Lee outmarched Grant an
formed his army along a river TO di
e pute the passage. Although beaten
u the end, Lee added fresh laurels to b
crown by the mastery handling Of Il
Army Of Northern Virginia in the retr
grade movement from the Rapidan
!" the James in May. 1864, and prOlonge
the war year.