The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-05-30
IMMENSELY OF JAPAN
ESE ARMY BROUGHT
HOME TO OBSERVER
FROM HEADQUARTERS
Something About the Why
Japanese.
lcorospondcnce Assoclated Prcss.)

Correspondence Associated Prcss)
Aeadauarters o. General Kurokrs
army. near Tiehnna-The FIRST realiza-
tion OF the immcnsity 81 the Japanese
forces was brought home to the obser-
Yer when the two central armies rolled
across the shaho on the morning Of the
eighth OF March in the wake Of the re-
treating Russians Hitherto during the
battle parts OF two OF three brigades Of
Infantry. with few battalions Of re-
serves. dozen OF more batteries. with
pack trains and field hospitals. were alt
that one person could see IN the noun
famous country Of the great armies en-
gagged But when the whole array
moved northward with its impedlments
following it was an Impressive host
Looking from the heights where she
Russian batteries had been one could
see many khaki colored professions for
miles on either hand emerging from the
valleys and passes where the Japanese
have been concentrating since - ober,
streaming across the dry bed Of the river
and the narrow channels OF ice and
winding away among the bare hills and
sandy plains northward. 1t was a busi-
nese like army swathed In dark blue and
Khaki with no spectacular show Of gold
braid nor brass, and hardly a touch OF
color except the scarlet blankets worn
over the shouiuers. Most Of the ranks
were boys yet. but they were toughened
by a year Of campaigning into hardy
veterans They plodded on silently as
usual, with no show OF rejoicing over
victory without confusion nor excltable
Officers Juperese dominion over Man
churia was spreading at the rate OF two
miles an hoar % .h5 Ti,e. hanks were
fields Of kaoliang which had stood un-
harvested since fan between the lines
Of hostile cannon, and through these
were swarming men, women and child
rem reaping and stacking their crops.
The Chinaman hitters away no time
gaping at victorious armies when a few
dollars are TO be gathered
For ten days from that morning the
wiioie country within the AREA of the
fighting was covered with mist OF
fine dust stirred up by the feet Of more
IMAM a lAAlAAhiA men anu aNAllitlhs II
never settled for n minute. it choked the
throat and blinded the eyes. sifted un-
der clothing, made food gritty and
turned all water into mud The flames
from burning houses and stacks OF
grain showed through it in the nights
like the moon through "A fog The sand
storms which began on the second day
Of the pursuit and continued al inteRi
walls for "a week came from the nortn
directly into the faces OF the Japanese
and made the discomfort and hardship
worse. There was great contrast be-
tween the country south OF the shaho
and north Of IT, The village toward
Mukden were larger and more prosper
Gus. with better buildings and the
picturesque temples and tombs sur
rounded by groves OF dark green nrs
made welcome panorama to the eyes
OF the men from beautiful Japan who
had spent months among the dreary
and monotonous hills Chinese families
gathered IN front OF their houses and
greeted the Japaneses with shouts.
Doubtless they were equally ready 10
acclaim the Russians. and denounce the
japanese, when Il was polite. OUT
side the large towns Chinese officials
wearing their buttons on their caps
with banners and soldiers in gaudy
uniforms received the Japanese gem
erals and General Kuroki and his stan
rode into the village where his head
quarters are now through "a double hle
Of villagers, kneeling on both sides OF
The road.
The beginning OF the Russian retreat
from the Shaho was orderly and they
left clean field None OF their port
able effects worth taking had been abe
andoned. except hundreds OF stacks OF
tin cases in the trenches and huts cone
tanning cartridges.
Toward evening Of that day General
kurokis troops overlook their rear
guards eight or nine miles north OF tho
shaho and from that time the retreat
became scramble for safety AT th,
various supply station huge piles OF
grain We're fired and smouldered foi
days. The pursuit continued an through
the night of the 6th and The right
division OF Kmokrs army came "a
the branch line of the railroad running
HNN N.+N AAN"N lIAiiN NA AHf NNM Nll. rtInN
storm began which threw both side,
into confusion and made orderly re.
treat Impossible. An the telegraph
wires connecting the headquarters anc
the different divisions We're blown
down so that each contingent proceed
cd largely as its own responsibility
G'he NE division crossed the Hunho un.
der cover 81 the thick dust cloud.
without "a break Apparenuy the Rus.
sian commander was afraid 20 risk
defense on such day even in th,
elaborate works which should hav,
made the Hunho the most formidabl,
line Of defense perhaps because hh
own men were n a panic. Probabli
this was the decisive day of the bat
ie. for the Japanese forces west o
Mnkden were being pressed hard am,
the brigade on the extreme lcft wa
almost wiped out Had Bndering re-