The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-04
Fourteen Thousand We're Sick
and Wounded in Fort
MEN BORE UP HERO|CALLY
st. Petersburg Is Quiet and the Whole
Population Is Deeply Moved BY
Report3 of the Many
Deeds of Bravery.

BIT. Petersburg, January 3-General
Stoessel's dispatches by way of Che Foo
to the general staff relates how the posi-
tion of the fortress of Port Arthur grad
ually became less safe and more critical
the ravages of scurvy increasing enor-
mously the casualty lists already so con-
siderable from the Japanese assaults and
commandments. Towards the end of the
year the supplies of ammunition COM
pletely gave out; there were 1900 sick
and wounded In the hospitals and 300
fresh casualties coming in daily. The gen
eral reports that at the end of the siege
he had only 10000 men under arms, the
remainder of the original garrison having
been either killed or disabled.
The text of General Stoessels dispatch
follows:
On December % the general wrote:
THE position of the fortress is becoming
very painful. Our principal enemies are
scurvy, which is moving down the men,
and 11-inch shells, against which there Is
no obstacle There only remain few
who have not been attacked by scurvy.
We have taken all possible measure but
the disease is spreading. The passive en-
durance of the enemy's bombardment the
11-inch shells, the impossibility of replying
for want of ammunition, the outbreak OF
scurvy and the loss of a mass of officers
all these causes diminish daily the capa-
bilities of the defense. The tale of the
losses of higher officers Is an indication
of the enormous losses we have sustained
OF ten generals, two, Kondrateko and
Tserpitsky, have been killed. Raznatov-
sky Is dead, two are wounded, mysen
and Gennadeire, while GorlatoWsky Is
suffering from contusons. Of nine fegi-
mental commanders and colonies, frines
Matchabel Eaoumenko has been killed,
Dourire and Glagolew have suceumped 10
wounds and four others have been wound
ed One lieutenant colonel has been Killed
and two are wounded
Blew Up the Parapet.
= On December %, General Stoessel wrote;
'sAt 10 o clock yesterday morning the
Japanese blew up part of The parapet oil
fort No. s. They afterwards opened
severe bombardment along the whole
font but especially on fort NO g. AT
about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, they
dashed to the attac.s of the parapet from
the moat and Glaos where they had been
held in readiness. Two attacks We're re-
pulsed but the Japanese occupied the
funnel shaped opening formed by the ex-
plosion and reinforced by their reserves
began to run across the moat In groups
of about five. They occupied the parapet
and at dusk two battalions had enter
ed the inner part of the fort
Our troops fought from the entrench-
ments which were badly damaged. Part
of our troops hid themselves In the
easements, but the japanese placed ma
chine guns in front of the exit from the
easements thus depriving cur men hid
den there of all possibility of making an
attack Three counter attacks from the
outside by our reserves met with no sue
cess The fort consequently remained IN
the possession of the Japanese. Our loss
es were considerable especially in Of
ficers The survivors of the garrison sue
ceeded in getting out of the fort by the
windows By the occupation of this Tort,
the Japanese became masters of the
whole northern front and the fortress
can hold out only a few days more. We
have almost no ammunition. | will take
measures to prevent carnage In the
streets.
..Scurvey Is sensbly weakening the gar
rison have now under arms only 10000
men. all sick.
Generals Fock and NiSitina have been
yeritabIe heroes and admirable co-labor-
ers.
Enormous Percentage of Killed.
"Among the other high officials there
was an enormous percentage of killed or
wounded. Many companies are COM
manded by ensigns and the companies
only average sixty men strong
1.-The japanese since December Is have
refrained from assaulting Yesterday
they exploded a mine under the fortifi-
cations of fort No 5, and about a score
of Japanese mounted the rampant, but
were exterminated by bayoneta and hand
grenades. In revenge the Japanese bonn
barded all night long and all day long
with 11-inch shells, especially the hos
pitfalls and ambulances although knowing
full well that there was no possibility
of our wounded joining the ranks of the
defenders.
ssThere are 1900 sick and wounded in
the hospitals and the number increases
by about 700 daily"
General Stoessels reports of December
% and 29 painting the narrowing picture
of the depleted and exhausted garrison.
fighting on hopelessly were posted on
the bulletin boards this afternoon, and
attracted enormous crowds, whose grief
at the fall of the fortress was swallowed
up by admiration for the heroic defenders.
The war office and admiralty were soon
besieged by grief-stricken relatives and
friends of those at Port Arthur, eagerly
asking for news, but the staffs were
completely without details and could
give none.
ST. Petersburg Is Quiet.
The city is perfectly quiet. The agita-
tors finding that the people were in no
mood for demonstrations against the
government.
1t is presumed that the Emperor is al
ready acquainted with the detailed terms
o. the surrender, it being assumed that
General Stoessel was allowed to commune
cate direct with His Majesty, Dut the
war office is still without information
except such as is contained In the Toxic
dispatches. The report that the officers
will be allowed to return to Russia on
parole, and still retain their swords. is
in the light of the generous terms ex-
pected to be accorded by valiant foe
to such gallant enemy.
At the foreign office Willie 1t was said
that any proposals hat Japan might
make would receive due consideration. the
officials were unable to Imagine how
II could be possible for Japan to offer
<~oDdfkioua which Runain could ACCENT