Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-03-15
Scattered Remnants Of Russia's Grand
Army who Escaped From oya.
mas Strengthening Position.
KAuLsARs AND RENNENkAMPFF
Their Divisions Have Not Vet Been
Accounted for-Defeat Assumes
Colossal Proportions.

pleted its retreat, and the rear guard
southwark is falling back slowly"
What either the main body" or the
''rear guard" consists of has not been
definitely fixed; but, from the dispatch
es from the Associated Press cores
pondents with the Japanese and Rus
slams, the two combined must be but
a small portion of the army which
General Kuropatkin had gathered
along the banks of the Shakhe and
Hun rivers. And yet those who have
reached Tie pass, worn out from days
Ct fighting, are not out of danger; the
japanese, it is reported. having already
started another turning movement
which will force the Russians ON to
the plains north of Tie pass, where
in their disorganized state they will
be an easy prey for the victory-flush-
ed soldiers of the mikado.
The men who escaped are strength
ening the Notifications in Tie pass,
but it is hardly possible that the pass
can be held in the face of the over
whelming forces opposed to the Rus
SLAMS, and it is not likely that Oyama
will rest satisfied with his victory at
Mukden as he did after Liao Yang.
There will be no uneasiness as to the
food supply as long as communica-
tions are maintained to the northward,
as large bands of cattle roam the
plains under Cossack herders, and ev-
cry station on the railway is a huge
commissariat department. The Rus
sian soldiers are always we'll fed, the
soup kitchen on wheels always being
in touch with the men.
AS to the losses, General Kuropat-
kin now admits that $4,000 wounded
were carried of the field. This, with
the 26,50O dead left on the field, the
10000 prisoners and the wounded left
in the hospitals, comes somewhat
nearer the latest Japanese estimate
that the total Russian losses were
$4,000. At this rate Kur0patkin can
rot have more than 100000 effective
fighting men with him. The army OF
General Linevitch seems to have
made the best retreat, but this nc
aoubt was due to the stubborn fight
made by General Rennenkampff ON his
extreme left, and the equally fierce
resistance of General KAnlbars ON the
right, the latter general losing 26,00e
men. Neither the army OF KAulbars
Tor of Rennenkampff mas yet been
accounted for by the dispatches. Al
ter his defeat around the western
to1nbs, Kaulbars. finding his retreat
directly northward cut OF, made 4
detour to the eastward, where he wal
still fighting at last accounts. Rem
renkAmpff must also sriil be in the
bills to the eastward, as it took th<
Associated Press courier three dAya
to reach Tie pass.
The Japanese report the capture o.
"a more guns, 66 in all, u rather small
number, considering the decisive de
feat and the number of men captured
The Japanese losses have been re
markably small, in view of the length
and severity of the fighting.
The Associated Press correspondent
with General KurOki's army tells how
the battle of Mukden was won. TIT
Russian general was deceived as t.
where the blow was to be struck, ant
after massing his forces ON the Japan
csc left, found, when too late. tina
his right was the objective of the ia
panese.
In all the speculation as to peace
one point that is coming to the from
Is that Russia would prefer to settl'
directly with Japan than with q thir'
nation. This is in line with the dream
of many leading Russians that. th'
natural allies in the far east are ia
pan and Russia. they being the onl.
nations whose domains border on Kc
rea and Manchuria, both having intel
ests besides those of trade.