Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-10
THE MUKDEN STRUGGLE
STORY OF THE FIERCE FIGHT FOR
THE RUSSIAN CITY.
Desperate Assaults of oyema's Troops
-Dogged Resistance Of the
Cars Soldiers.

of the Titanic struggle for the posses
sion of Mukden and the mastery of a vast
empire-tf1e tenth day OF unceasing con-
fiict under exploding shrapnel, the roar of
cannon and the whistling, of bullets-the
tenth without sleep and without food.
The combat is fast reaching point where
it is~a question not SO much Of turning
columns, of tactics and of strategy as of
whose strength, energy and cartridges
will last the longer.
Gray-coated Russians, patient, uncom-
planning, strong of soul, chung doggedly
to positions against an enemy whose at
tacks have gone to the very point of in
sanity and desperation. For forty-eig
hours the Japanese have not eaten. They
are starving and exhausted, but Field
Marshal Oyama himself had told them
that the city would fall and the slaughter
stop Friday, and their confidence in
their leader increased their strength ten
fold.
On Wednesday when the Russians took
Ushuntun few dozen Japanese chung to
the thickwalled temple and refused all
overtures to surrender. Cannon were
brought up and preached the walls, but
the daredevil courage of the defenders
continued under the fire; and finally,
when defense was hopeless, they blew
themselves skyward with the ruins of the
temple. One survivor, rather than sur
render, threw himself into a stone-ri rim
utU well anu peIISHeu].r
Menacing the Railroad.
And yet the rank and lie: and inferior
leaders. stern in their sense of duty, are
as unsparing of themselves as of the men
whom they lead to death, Stern Oyama
drove his troops northward to encircle
the city. With every fresh ffanking
movement the iron band cIosed nearer
the railroad and under this menace the
firSt ir1 loo. lyar 1ac
night to abandon the mig hty fortifica-
lions on the Sha river, give up the i'm
Iregnable PutiIoff hill and retire to the
line of the Hun river.
On Wednesday the Japanese pushed
their columns north and northeast, bonn
harding villages which, are the keys of
the defense and hurting men, some of
them veterans of the years campaign
from Japan, against Russian positions.
Often they were repulsed and sometimes
they mastered the advanced line. but at
enormous cost. individuals and small
parties have reached the railroad, cut the
telegraph wires and dislodged few rail
lengths, but the damages were quickly
repaired and the perpetrators usually
killed or wounded.
Around the village of Pachiatzu there
ragged a fierce struggle. veteran regi-
ment of the Imperial Rifles distinguished
itself especially, members earning St
George crosses time and again, in sup
A Brilliant Officers FaA.
Lieutenant Colonel Sapolskf, brilliant
and beloved officer, one of the heroes of
Liao-yang, and one of the first up Poutiloff
Hill, who swore to die rather than sur
render, was killed at Pachiatzu. Another
of the dead is Prince Makaeff. commander
of the Samara Regiment.
Just beyond Pachiatzu, under the shadow
of clump of pines in the. park Of the i'm
perial tombs, sat the commander Of another
division, Colonel Launitz, directing the at
Nshuntun. With a swish like that OF the
silken skirts of a well-dressed dame, Sht-
nose shells hurtled past. and occasionally
bullets whistled by. EverX lew minutes
the bell of the telephone at his feet jingled
and he reported to the commander Of the
army. -,
Uneasy Sleep in Mpkden.
Uneasily slept Mukden last night. In the
main street lamps burned ,idimIy. Along
dark roads in heavy dust were marching
columns. The cool night was full Of the
low rustic of movement. Near the station.
in overfilled hospitals, were. heard low
groans. The wounded arrived In never
ceasing stream of carts, and another
stream of carts and another stream of
ambulances moved northward, for the place
must be cleared. The eternal pines whisper
above the tombs of Chinese emperors. In
this field watch fires burned. The sky
was lighted with the glare of burning
stores and evacuated villages.
= The forces gathered for the final fight.
The evacuation of the Shalkhe position
involved several hundred miles of field and
railways and telegraphs, enormous defen-
stve works, Red Cross supplies, towns,
fuel and forage stores, the latter of which
it was necessary to burn. The military
roads covered 500 square miles. The smoke
of battle and fires everywhere obscured
the lines and it was impossible longer to
distinguish the CONGREGATIONS.