The Ladysmith news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1905-1905, 1905-03-11
JUKDEN HAS BEEN EVACUATED
ITS GREAT MAGAZINES ARE SET
ON FIRE BY JAPANESE
ARTILLERY.
RUSSIANS GIVE UP ALL HOPE
BATTLE OF MUKDEN ADDS Az
OTHER TO LONG LIST OF
RUSS DEFEATS.

For ten days the Japanese and Rus
sian armies in Manchuria have been
engaged in mighty conflict, the issue
of which has not yet been reached.
Although the most of the news from
the scenes of the battle comes through
Russian sources, and consequently
may be supposed to present the facts
in as favorable a light as possible for
the Russian arms, it is evident that
the Japanese made some gains yester-
day.
st. Petersburg has an unofficial re-
port that Gen. Kuropatlin's center has
been broken and that thirteen siege
guns have fallen into the hands of the
Japanese. These guns, which are OF
six and eight-inch caliber, were giVer
permanent emplacements on the line
of the railroad north of Shakhe station,
the fact evidencing the confidence OF
the Russians that the Japanese could
not penetrate thither-
Cover Russian Retreat.
In st. Petersburg it is generally be-
leved that Gen. KurOpatkin was yes
terday fighting a rear guard action to
cover his retreat, and that the night
will have witnessed large withdrawal
of troops through Tie pass. All of the
commander-in-chiefs ability, it is con-
~; hC tn
his army from its present predica-
ment The issue, it is expected, VIII
be decided to-day, and great deal I'm.
questionably depends on the compare
tive ability Of the opposing armies to
resist the effects of hunger and IL
tigue, the limit of human endurance
having. evidently, been nearly reached
on both sides.
Beyond the statement that the cas-
ua1ties exceeded those Of the battle OF
Liao-yang there is little known as to
the number killed or wounded.
Evacuate Mukdcn.
Toxic. March 9-Reports are current
here that the Russians are in retreat
and preparing to destroy the railway
north of Mukden. Gen. Kuropatkin IS
said to have gone to Fushun after
holding a council of war Of 100 officers.
His left rear guard consisting OF TO-
600 picked troops, is retiring. Chi
nese report that Mukden has been
completely evacuated and that its
great magazines were set on fire by
Japanese artillery.
Russians Concede Defeat.
st. Petersburg, March 9.-1That the
battle of Mukden will go down in hi4
tory with Liao-yang in the long list Of
Russian defeats is the almost univer-
sal belief in pessimistic St. Peters
burg which has forgotten the mean
ing of the word victory. The war of
ice does not admit that the issues
the great battle, which already ey
ceeds in magnitude of operations am
losses that of Shakhe, has been dc
cided. although it is positively state
in high quarters that Kuropatkin ha
telegraphed to Emperor Nicholas tina
it will be impossible to hold Mukdel
and that the withdrawal Of the arm
northward has already been begun
Nothing from Gen. Kuropatkin late
than Monday has been given out, h'
advices to st. Petersburg newspape
and dispatches to the Associated Pre-
dated at 8 o'clock last night indica
that the position Of the Russian arm
after a day of furious and unpret
denied fighting is desperate but II
absolutely hopeless, some Russian &C
resnondents even predicting a Russia
victory soon, and one affirming TIL
the extreme Japanese left has alread
hegun to retire southwark. Ever
probability now depends on Gen. III
rOpatkin's reserve.
Fiercest Fighting.
Mukden, March 9-Fighting OF tn
fiercest nature, which is hkely 10 dt
eide the fate of the battle which ma
heen in progress for ten days, began
at dawn yesterday and has continued
uninterruptedly UP to the present time
~, front fourteen miles long west o.
the railroad and on a line with the
Sbakhe river. The Japanese alst
have made desperate attack OF
Bentsiaputze. and reports are arriving
here that fighting was renewed yes
terday morning on the extreme Ieft OF
the Russian army. Both SIDES are
fighting with desperation to the west
ward, though the troops are well nigh
exhausted. The issue of the battle
NAV depend largely on the relative
physical condition Of the rank and
file.
The losses in the ten days OF battle
IN both sides are already far greater
than we're the casualties in the hattie
of Liao-yang, and are likely to increase
as the days pass before the issue }
fairly decided.