Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-01-03


| firing not more than once to two hun
dred shots sent by the Japanese. When
an assault came they repulsed the en-
envy with bayonets. But the men
themselves, having existed through
months on reduced rations, were SO
worn that it is marvellous they stood
the final strain so long
| StOesseI Would Still Fight.
| Yesterday Stoessel would still fight.
His wound, which was received early
! in the siege, had been bothering him,
but his determination to fight while
one man stood had not been diminish
ed.
"'But we cannot fight said his gen
erals. Our men cannot move. They
cannot see the bayonets at their
breasts. We can order. but they can
not obey
"'Then you generals fight said
Stoessel, clenching his fists.
| He seemed fanatical on the subject,
but finally he was brought to see rea-
son by the insistence of his subordin-
ates. Admirals Lochinsky and Wren.
Gems. Smyrhoff and Fock. and many
Others, sometimes with broken voices,
urged the step which all dreaded so
long.
Gen. StOesscl Stubborn.
81 am sure that Port Arthur would
have sought terms a month ago had it
not been for Stoessel, who with bull
dog tenacity steadily refused to per-
nit such action to be taken. He had
told his emperor that he would never
surrender, and he meant to keep his
word.
THE greatest loss suffered by Port
Arthur occurred a fortnight ago when
Maj. Gen. Kondratenko was killed.
kondratenko was seated in the case
ment of a certain fort discussing with
other officers the best way of counter
mining against the Japanese, when an
l1-inch shell burst. killing everybody
| in the easement.
Fiercest HONDA rdment In History.
"Nogi has taken Port Arthur with
his artillery and his tunnels. His rifle
bullets were seldom found to be of
any use.
I'VE constantly endured a lombard
ment fiercer than any in history. The
Japanese periodically assaulted AMI
then, when repulsed, calmly resumed
commandments. We who came here to-
day do not know the terms OF surrend-
er suggested by Stoessel to Nogi nor
the answer to them, having left Port
Arthur even before the messenger had
been dispatched"
Continuing his story, the officer said
Had the ammunition held out the fort
ress would have held out indefinitely.
For months we held Port Arthur by
bayonets alone, until flesh and blood
could do no more.
when a man fell there was none
other to replace him. Thus the garri-
son was gradually worn down.
2O3 Meter Hill Cost 5000 Men.
1.-TWO Hundred and Three Meter hill
alone cost us 5000 men. The capture
of that hill was the beginning of the
end"
Kartzow declares that it cost the
japanese 10000 men to take the fort
ress, and said that some placed it at
100000. He said the Russian loss is
not known even to the high officers.
Fighting Was MereIIess.
AS showing the mercilessness of the
fighting, KartZow relates an incident
of the capture of Rihlung mountain.
where he says 500 men occupying a
easement were not able to emerge, SO
quickly came the rush of the japanese.
The Russians tried to emerge by the
use of bayonets in the face of a ma
chine gun fire. Every man died
strewn With Shells.
Concluding his story, he said: pic !,
ture fort strewn with shells. and you