T HE fog of war begins to lift, and we are
slowly gathering the main features of the battle of Mukden, one of the greatest, and possibly one of the most decisive, of recorded fights. The doom of the Russian army was sealed on Wednes- day week, when Kuropatkin, misled by the apparent inertia of the Japanese during the previous few days, neglected to retreat while the way was open. The whole line of the Sha-ho was pushed in, and while Nodzu thus held the Russians in the south, Kuroki was pushing back the weakened left wing under Linevitch, and Oku was defeating the strengthened right wing under Kaulbars, while Nogi was rapidly wheeling round to cut the railway. The main dispositions are clear enough, save for the mysterious fifth army under Kawamura, which according to one account was with Oku and Nogi on the west, and according to another assisted Kuroki on the east. On the Thursday night Kuropatkin, seeing that all hope was gone, began the retreat he had so long delayed. But the hour for a safe retreat had passed. From Mukden the road to Tieling is by the railway or the great Mandarin road, or via Fushun by country paths through the billy country north of the Hun-ho. With the flames of the burning storehouses behind him, with Nodzu's fire dominating the line of the Hun-ho, with Kuroki close on the east, and with Nogi waiting on the railway line, the Russian general succeeded in struggling to safety with the greater part of his central army. Of the horrors of what was less a retreat than a flight we eau but dimly guess. It was Leipsic and the retreat from Moscow combined ; and, broken in health and spirit, Kuropatkin from Tieling begged his Imperial master to relieve him of his command.
