Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-01-11
Generals Exchange Congratulations.

Generals Exchange Congratulations.
Headquarters OF the Third Japan
csc Army in Front of Port Arthur,
Jan. 5, via Tien Tsin, Jan. THE
meeting of General Nogi and General
otoessel today was as undramatic as
the conclusion of the siege. 1t had
previously been arranged to take place
at noon in the single unchanged house
Of the village, Shuishi. Through a
| misunderstanding, General Stoessel
! rode out from Port Arthur at 10 o'clock
accompanied by Colonel Reiss and two
staff officers, to the Japanese lines
and missed the Japanese officer dele
| 5ated to escort him to the meeting
pace. The general rode there with
| out an escort and was received by a
Junior officer who happened to be on
| .ne spot. The latter telephOned to
.>ogi, who hurried his departure from
| headquarters and arrived at II o'clock
accompanied by Major General IjiChl,
MS chief of staff, and Colonels Vas
lzara, Matsudari and Watanabe, staff
officers, and NJ. KawSkarin, secretary
| Of the foreign office at Toxic. Gen
| eral StOessel is a large man of heavy
appearance and looks like a good
nghter.
| When Nogi looking carewOrn, en-
tered the compound of the cottage,
| the two generals cordially shook hands
and Ngoi, through an Interpreter, eX-
pressed his pleasure at meeting a gen
eral who had fought so bravely and
gallantly for his emperor and country.
General Stoessel thanked General
Nogi for the pleasure Of meeting the
hero.
General Nogi explained that he had
! received message from his emperor
asking that the greatest consideration
De shown to General Stoessel and his
officers in appreciation Of their splen
did loyalty to their emperor and
country. Because of that wish, ne
added, the Russian officers would be
allowed to wear their swords.
General StOessel expressed his graf
tude to the Japanese emperor for
thus saving the honor vi his (Stoes.
sel's) family, and said his descendants
would appreciate the thoughtful kind,
hess Of the emperor of Japan. The
general expressed the gratitude of his
officers and thanked Nogi for send
ing the message from Stoessel 10
Emperor Nicholas, and transmitting
ais reply. which read:
| Il allow each officer TO profit by
the reserved privclase to return to
ttuSsia under the obligation not t.
take further part in he present war
or to share in the destinieS of theii
men. | thank you and the brave men
for the gallant defense"
Both generals then mutually praise
each other and their officers for theii
| bravery.
The Russian commander greatly
praised tllc Japanese artillery practice
especially the concentrated fire insta
nlaneOus with the explosion with tn,
Sungshu mine. The gallant deeds Oi
the Japanese infantry. General Stoes
sci added, spoke for themselves. The
skillful work of the engineers had
also won his admiration. Continuing
General Stoessel said he had heard
that General Nogi had lost both sons
and praised his loyalty in thus sac
riticing his sons, who had died fight
ing for their emperor and country.
General NOgi smilingly replied:
"One of my sons gave his life at Nan
shan and the other at 3-Metre hill
Both of these positions were of the
greatest Importance to the Japanese
army. l am glad that the sacrifice c1
my sons lives has been in the cap
ture OF such important positions as =
feel the sacrifices We're not made iI
vain. Their lives were nothing coul
pared to the objects sought