As Sailors Saw the Battle
"At dawn on Saturday our squadron left its rendezvous and advanced through the Tsushima Channel. At 2.08 in the afternoon we sighted the Russian fleet. Gradually closing in, we found theKniaz Souvaroffleading the line, with theBorodino, theAlexander III, theOrel, theOsliabiaand theNavarinfollowing in the order named. TheNicolai Ibrought up the rear. Parallel to this line we observed five cruisers. After them came the special ships and torpedo boat destroyers. We counted thirty-two Russian ships in all.
"Our fleet, with the battleshipMikasaleading, proceeded toward the Russians in vertical line formation. TheSouvaroffopened fire first and then suddenly turned, reversing her course. Almost simultaneously theMikasaopened fire with her big guns, and thus the curtain rose on the great sea battle. The hostile fleets gradually closed in toward each other, exchanging a vigorous fire. The armored cruiserAsamaapproached within 3,000 metres of the Russian fleet and carefully observed its action.
"After a short but fierce fight theAdmiral Oushakoff'sdeck was observed to be ablaze, and the ship left the line. By 4.30 in the afternoon the Russian line was disordered and its fire slackened. TheBorodinoandKamchatkahad been disabled and soon sank. TheBorodinocontinued to fire bravely until the ship was submerged.
"The Japanese fleet continued to maintain enveloping positions from sundown until dawn. Sunday morning opened misty, but the weather soon cleared, and the search for the remnants of the Russian fleet was begun. Five Russian ships were discovered in the vicinity of Liancourt Island, and they were immediately surrounded. One, supposed to be theIzumrud, escaped at full speed. The remaining four offered no resistance, and hoisted the Japanese flag over the Russian colors, apparently offering to surrender. Captain Yashiro, commanding theAsama, started in a small boat to ascertain the real intentions of the Russians, when Admiral Nebogatoff lowered a boat and came on board theAsama, where he formally surrendered. The prisoners were distributed among the Japanese ships, and prize crews were selected to take possession of the captured vessels."
The Capture of Rozhdestvensky
To have destroyed the Russian armada was, of itself, an amazing feat; but to have captured the commander-in-chief, and to have compelled the surrender of an admiral of the line, add vastly to the glory of Togo. The story of Rozhdestvensky's capture is dramatic.
The destroyers,Kasumi,Usugumo,SazanamiandKagerou, were ordered to attack the Russian warships on the night of May 27 and were steaming ahead when they suddenly encountered a number of Russian ships. TheKasuminarrowly avoided a collision with a Russian cruiser, the closeness of which seems to have saved the destroyers from being damaged by the heavy fire which the Russians directed on them.
During the Russian attack the vessels forming the destroyer flotilla divided. TheSazanamiandKageroucontinued the search for Russian ships throughout the night, and in the morning discovered two torpedo boat destroyers. One of them steamed away, but the other was unable to do so. On approaching the latter the Japanese discerned a white flag flying from the foremast and the Red Cross flag astern. She proved to be theBedoviwith Admiral Rozhdestvensky and his staff on board. TheBedovisignalled that her engines were damaged, and that she was short of coal and water. An armed guard was sent on board theBedovito receive her surrender. The Russians requested the Japanese not to remove Admiral Rozhdestvensky and the other officers on account of their wounds, and the Japanese complied, with the understanding that the guard would shoot Rozhdestvensky in the event of the delay leading to a meeting with Russian ships, thus running the danger of his recapture. TheSazanamiran a line to theBedoviand began to wing her. The line parted twice. In the morning theSazanamimet the Japanese cruiserAkashi, which convoyed the two destroyers to Sasebo. During the trip the destroyers encountered heavy seas, and their decks were awash during part of the time.
Chiefs of Japan's Fleet
Thirty naval commanders participated in the battle of the Japan Sea. Vice Admiral Togo was commander-in-chief, leading the first squadron. Vice Admiral Kamamura was in command of the second squadron, and Rear Admiral Kataoka led the third squadron.
The chiefs of staff in the order named were Admiral Kato and Captains Fujii and Saito. The commanders of the squadron divisions were Vice Admirals Dewa, Uriu and Mitsu, acting as rear admirals under Vice Admiral Togo, Captains Yamada, Shimamura, Taketomi and Kokura.
Blowing Up the Izumrud
The fate of the cruiserIzumrudis a chapter of itself in the story of the battle. Baron Ferzen, her captain, with survivors of the ship's crew, reached Vladivostok on June 1 and sent a report, which, in addition to confirming the disaster to the entire fleet, told the fate of his own ship. The Baron reported that before dark, on May 27, theOsliabya,Alexander IIIandBorodinohad been sunk, and theKniaz Souvaroff, theKamtchatka andtheUrelhad been seriously damaged and were lost to sight. The command then devolved on Rear Admiral Nebogatoff.
In the evening theNikolai I, theOrel, theGeneral Admiral Apraxine, theAdmiral Seniavin, theAdmiral Oughakoff, theSissoi Veliky, theNevarin, theAdmiral Nakhimoff, and theIzumrudsailed northeastward, the latter being charged to transmit orders to the battleships. Two other cruisers were cut off from the fleet and were not again seen.
The battleships, steaming at fourteen knots, were repeatedly attacked by the Japanese torpedo boats, especially at the extremities of the line.
At dawn it was ascertained that the battleship division consisted of theNikolai I, theOrel, theGeneral Admiral Apraxineand theAdmiral Seniavin.
At sunrise, May 28, smoke from the Japanese ships reappeared on the horizon, whereupon the admiral gave orders for increased speed. TheAdmiral Seniavinand theGeneral Admiral Apraxinedropped behind.
Toward 10 o'clock, the Japanese fleet appeared first to port and then to starboard, while the cruiser division manœuvred behind the Russians to starboard. Baron Ferzen's account continues:
Flight Ends in Disaster
"I was cut off from the squadron and finding it impossible to rejoin it resolved to make for Vladivostok. I put on full speed and the enemy's cruisers came on in pursuit. Owing to the insufficiency of my coal supply and the certainty of meeting the enemy's cruisers, I subsequently altered my course for Vladimir Bay, where I arrived on the night of May 29. At 1.30 o'clock next morning, in pitch darkness, theIzumrudran full on a reef at the entrance of the bay. Having only ten tons of coal and seeing that it would be impossible to again float my vessel, I ordered the crew ashore and blew up theIzumrudto prevent her falling into the hands of the enemy. Ten of my sailors were wounded in the battle, but the officers and the rest of the crew are all safe."
The News Reaches Russia
Intimations of the extent of the disaster first reached Russia through foreign telegrams. The emperor and naval officials hoped against hope that their own advices would bring some ray of comfort. It was hoped that a portion of the fleet might reach Vladivostok strong enough to aid in protecting the fortress against attack from the sea.
One unprotected cruiser and three torpedo boat destroyers were all of the splendid fleet that ever were to reach Vladivostok. The cruiserAlmaz, which by reason of her lack of protective sheathing had been ordered by Rozhdestvensky to flee in event of battle, got through the Japanese lines with a minimum of damage, though well scarred by shots that had reached her by chance. Captain Chagir, her commander, speedily communicated with the emperor at St. Petersburg through Lieutenant General Linevitch, commander-in-chief in the Far East. This was the message:
"The cruiserAlmazhas arrived at Vladivostok. Her commander reports as follows:
"'On May 27, Vice Admiral Rozhdestvensky's fleet in the Tsu Strait engaged the Japanese in battle. During the day we lost the battleshipsKniaz Souvaroff,Borodino,Osliabya, and the cruiserUral. The battleshipAlexander IIIwas seriously damaged at the start of the battle.
"'After the separation of the cruiserAlmazfrom the fleet the battle was renewed in the darkness. The result of the night battle is not known.'"
TheAlmazwas cut off from the fleet and reached Vladivostok.
"Supplementary reports of the commander of theAlmaz, forwarded by the post commandant at Vladivostok, state that the transportKamtchatkawas seriously damaged."
"TheAlmazhad Lieutenant Mochalin and four sailors killed and ten sailors wounded. There is no news as to those who were saved or those who perished on the sunken warships."
The arrival of theAlmazhas thus been described by an eye witness at Vladivostok:
TheAlmaz, which arrived at her anchorage here Monday evening, May 29, bore scars of the battle. Her mizzen mast was shot away, and one of her smokestacks was pierced by a cannon shot. But theGrozny, though engaged for several hours in a running fight at short range with a large Japanese destroyer, showed no signs of the fray. After her commander, Captain Andriffski, had been wounded, and an officer and three men had been killed, theGroznysucceeded in sinking her opponent with a luckily placed shot, and reached Vladivostok without further adventure.
For two days Vladivostok had been buzzing with rumor and excitement. The fact that a battle between the rival fleets was imminent, if Rozhdestvensky was not already at hand-grips with Togo, was made known through telegrams from Europe, and when it was learned Monday morning that a Russian cruiser had been sighted off Askold Island, headed for the harbor, the city was filled with the wildest reports of every nature.
Story of Russian Survivors
The inhabitants clustered in the streets, thronged the waterside or climbed the frowning hills overlooking the harbor for a better view. Finally, toward 6 o'clock in the evening, a graceful cruiser with two snowy-white stacks, shot in view at the entrance to the Golden Horn and rounded to an anchorage beneath the bristling guns of the curving promontory. From afar the broken stump of her mizzen-mast and a shot hole showing black upon the white paint of one stack indicated that the cruiser had encountered the Japanese. As the anchor chain rattled in the hawse holes the vessel wreathed itself in smoke—it was an admiral's salute in honor of Rear Admiral Von Jessen. Scarcely had the boom of the last cannon begun to echo from the surrounding hills when Von Jessen's flagship, the cruiserRossia, answered the salute, and a minute later the guns of the fortress took up the cannonade.
Excitement beyond description seized the thronging spectators, who, with frantic "huzzas," tossed high their caps.
Citizens embraced each other and danced jubilantly upon the pier, while the crews of the ships in the harbor joined in wild cheering.
In a thrice the boats were dropped from the davits, and in a moment the officers of the cruisers and torpedo boats in the harbor and the military officials from the fortress were swarming on board theAlmazto learn news of the fight.
Saw Flagship Go Down
The story was short. According to the officers of theAlmaz, the fleet under Rozhdestvensky met the Japanese in the Straits of Korea, near Tsu Island, and the opposing fleets immediately closed in.
Being lightly armored, theAlmaz, as had been expected by Admiral Rozhdestvensky before the battle, separated itself from the main fleet at the first opportunity and headed for Vladivostok soon after the commencement of the action, but not too soon to observe that the losses on both sides in the titanic combat were great.
Early in the battle an officer of theAlmaz, while watching Rozhdestvensky's flagship, the battleshipKniaz Souvaroff, for a signal, saw the flagship shudder from stem to stern, as if under a blow from a gigantic hammer, and hesitate in her course, while the waves rose high from her armored sides. Then she commenced to list and sink.
The officers believe that the debut of the submarine boat as an effective agent in naval warfare, or perhaps a large mine caused the disaster to theKniaz Souvaroff. The damage, however, was so extensive that the flagship soon went down, leaving the deck officers and many of the crew struggling in the waves.
One of the Russian torpedo boats, either the destroyerBuinyor theBravi, ran in and picked up a number of the swimmers, one of whom was recognized through a glass as Admiral Rozhdestvensky.
Under a grueling attack by the Japanese warships, aided by torpedo boats, mines and submarines, theBorodino,OsliabiaandUralwere placed out of action and followed the flagship to the bottom.
The fog, which had raised and lowered intermittently during the morning, began to settle down again, and the distance of theAlmaz, which now succeeded in disengaging herself in the combat from the struggling ships, made it difficult for her to see clearly.
The arrival of theGroznyon the following day was marked by the same scenes of excitement as those which characterized the advent of theAlmaz. The wounded commander of the destroyer, Captain Andriffski, confirmed the details given by the officers of theAlmaz. He described his combat as a running fight, in which theGroznywas engaged for several hours, finally sinking the pursuing Japanese destroyer.
Russian Story of Disaster
From this and further fragmentary reports the Russians pieced together a story of the disaster. They figure that Admiral Togo, with his main squadron, must have lain somewhere off the coast of Korea, while Admirals Kamimura and Uriu held their squadrons further north to head off the Russian vessels which might get through Togo's lines or be prepared to bar the entrance to the Straits of Tsugaru in case the Russians should be reported moving up the east coast of Japan. When Togo's scouts reported that Admiral Rozhdestvensky was heading for the eastern channel of the Straits of Korea the Japanese Admiral steamed around the northern part of the Tsu Islands, and came upon the Russians steaming in double column, with the cruisers to port.
Togo enjoyed the great advantage of tactical position when he opened fire, having the lightest of the Russian ships between him and Rozhdestvensky's heavier vessels, thus smothering the fire of the latter. Besides, Togo was able to use all his broadsides, whereas the sternmost ships of the Russian columns, coming on in line ahead formation, could probably only with difficulty use any guns at all.
When Sunday morning came the Russian fleet was divided. The faster and stronger division, under Rozhdestvensky, was met by Kamimura and Uriu, while the slower division, under Nebogatoff, renewed the fight with Togo. With some of the scattered Russian units it was a case of save himself who can. In the running fight the Japanese enjoyed the advantage of superior speed, enabling them to concentrate their fire and bring every crippled Russian ship to bay. Admiral Nebogatoff's battered remnant surrendered off Liancourt Rocks, while Rozhdestvensky, with the best remaining battleships, fought on for the honor of the Russian navy.
Torpedo attacks were the feature of the Japanese program, which more surely than anything else brought disaster. Torpedo boats in night attacks launched their deadly missiles within a hundred yards of their Russian targets. They completely encircled the Russian ships, swarming like angry hornets. Much of the sweeping character of the victory will ultimately be traced to these comparatively tiny craft, fighting under the shower of shells being hurled from the big guns of the battleships and cruisers far away.
Summarizing scattered reports, the results of the battle may be accurately stated to be annihilation for Russian sea power in the Far East. Thirty-seven Russian warships of all classes entered the Korean Straits. Of these, three, a cruiser, and two destroyers, reached Vladivostok; three armored cruisers reached Manila; two battleships and two coast defence ships were captured and were taken to Sasebo; one destroyer, found helpless at sea, was towed to Shanghai; leaving a total of twenty-six ships that were sent to the bottom, five of them battleships. The Russian loss in life reached a total of 6,500 men, one admiral and ten captains among them. The loss to Russia in gold amounted to $75,000,000. Japan's loss in ships was three torpedo boats and a few more than 400 men. Experts the world around failed to find adequate explanation for this amazing disparity. As summarized at Tokio, these are reasons which in part contributed to Admiral Rozhdestvensky's defeat:
Why the Russians Were Defeated
"First. An imperfect reconnaissance and incomplete, faulty and misleading intelligence.
"Second. An imperfect battle formation, which indicated that Rozhdestvensky did not expect to meet Togo off Tsushima.
"Third. The weather, the direction of the wind and the sunlight were unfavorable to the Russians, Togo having the sun behind him and firing with the wind, while the Russians had the sunlight in their eyes and fired against the wind.
"Fourth. The Russians wasted their ammunition and eventually their supply ran short. It is believed that the surrender of Nebogatoff was necessary because his ammunition had been expended.
"Fifth. The marked inferiority of the Russian gunnery."
Japan Honors Togo
Japan hailed Togo as the nation's hero. A popular subscription will raise to him a giant lighthouse on lofty Tsu Island, commanding the sea for a radius of eighty miles, the area through which the battle was waged.
PEACE ENVOYS IN SESSION AT PORTSMOUTH.Copyrighted by Brown Bros., New York, 1905.The Russians, from left to right are C. Berg, M. Pokotiloff, M. Witte, Baron Rosen and M. Nabokoff. The Japanese from left to right are Mr. Adatchi, Mr. Otchiai, Baron Komura, Minister Takahira and Mr. A. Sato.
PEACE ENVOYS IN SESSION AT PORTSMOUTH.Copyrighted by Brown Bros., New York, 1905.The Russians, from left to right are C. Berg, M. Pokotiloff, M. Witte, Baron Rosen and M. Nabokoff. The Japanese from left to right are Mr. Adatchi, Mr. Otchiai, Baron Komura, Minister Takahira and Mr. A. Sato.
PEACE ENVOYS IN SESSION AT PORTSMOUTH.
Copyrighted by Brown Bros., New York, 1905.
The Russians, from left to right are C. Berg, M. Pokotiloff, M. Witte, Baron Rosen and M. Nabokoff. The Japanese from left to right are Mr. Adatchi, Mr. Otchiai, Baron Komura, Minister Takahira and Mr. A. Sato.