Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-04-01


Is the correspondent of the AsSociat-
ed Press with the Russian army said:
For many versts all the approaches
to Tie Pass are covered with troops,
| artillery and baggage transports
pressing northward, and twenty-five
miles away the strong rear guard of
troops, which is personally command
ed by General Kouropatkin, is retiring
slowly, doggedly disputing with the
pursuing enemy every foot of ground
| in order to cover the retreat of the
remainder of the army. The losses in
this defeat, which is the most bitter
yet experienced by the Russian army,
is by a moderate computation not less
than 100000 men on both sides.
The Russians, in addition, sacrificed
enormous quantities of munitions and
stores, the greater part of which were
set on fire before leaving Mukden.
They also abandoned their most
severely wounded and all heavy guns.
1t is impossible to say whether the
| Russians will be able to fight and
hold this position, or whether it will
| be necessary to continue the retreat
| TO Hardin, but the rank and file,
whose military qualities never shine
| so brightly as in retreat and defeat,
| are far from being panic stricken,
and, under capable leadership, given
a brief time to strengthen positions,
may be able to check their pursuing
enemy in the mountains here.
Order to Retreat.
The order to abandon Mukden and
retreat to the Tie Pass position was
given at O'Clock on the evening of
March 9. At dawn of that day the
Russians held line on the Hun river
from point ten miles east of Fushun
TO Madyapu, the west front extending
TO a point six miles north of Mukden
station. the continuous line of battle
generally paralleling the railway four
or five miles distant. A terrible dust
storm ragged and tension had reached
any point of the Russian line gave
way all would be lost.
i The position in the most extreme
danger appeared to be north of Muk-
der station, where it seemed for a
time the Japanese might break through
and entirely cut the lines of retreat
Gen. Kouropatkin concentrated heavy
/, columns there. took command himself
, and succeeded during Thursday morn
, ing in forcing the Japanese back from
the railroad and also in driving out
bodies of the enemy east of the rail-
road.
: The maneuver appeared to point to
success, when, suddenly and unexpect-
: eddy, news arrived that the japanese
2 under Gen. Oku had broken through
between the slender First and Fourth
army corps, taking advantage of the
s hurricane that was blowing clouds OF
D dust into the faces of the Russians
: to deliver an attack which Gen. Kou-
ropatkin was not prepared to meet
D 1t was impossible to support the re-
tiring corps, as the reserves to the
last man had been sent to the line OF
d battle at other points This spoiled
b the Russian commanders plans for an
= orderly retirement.
2 As the danger of the communica
lions being severed by this attack
I was imminent, retreat was determined
upon and Immediately begun. The
four principal roads leading north
ward toward Tie Pass were com
pletely occupied by a continuous file
OF artillery and transport and the re
treating army blackened the country
between.
Il Taking Army North.
n Before beginning the retreat all the
depots, stores and military building.
and everything that would be of ser
:, vice to the Japanese were set on fire
: The great bridges across the HUI
: were destroyed by dynamite. but tn.
: level ice remained. A large amour
!. of baggage and many guns wer,
!, | abandoned. All rolling stock belong
>, ing to the main railroad was brough