March 17.—The Czar curtly dismisses General Kuropatkin from his command, and promotes Lieutenant-General Linevitch, heretofore at the head of the first army, to be Commander-in-Chief of all the forces in Manchuria.
The Russian War Council decides to place a new army of 450,000 men in the field, and orders the Baltic squadron to proceed on its way to the East.
The Russian army, having abandoned Tie Pass, continues its flight northward, harassed by Japanese attacks from all sides.
March 19.—The Russians are still retreating and Kai-Yuan and Fakoman are occupied by the Japanese.
March 21.—General Kuropatkin returns to the front to accept a subordinate command under General Linevitch.
March 22.—All the Russian ministers but two are now said to favor peace.
March 24.—The Russian troops halt for a short rest at a point seventy-four miles north of Tie Pass. The Japanese armies are believed to be executing another flanking movement.
March 25.—It is given out from St. Petersburg that the Russians have sent 800,000 men to the front since the beginning of the war.
March 28.—The Japanese again attack the rearguard of the retreating Russians. General Oku reports that the spring thaws make the movements of both armies difficult.
It is no longer denied that the Russian Government is moving for peace.