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292 THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR
as well as Russian surgeons, that directly after
the capitulation, when the strain suddenly relaxed,
the ravages of scurvy at once ceased ;
there were
practically no new cases, and even a very large
number of the men under treatment in the hos-
pitals rapidly recovered, long before the more
varied and nutritious diet, which now was obtain-
able, could possibly have had any effect on their
state of health. I need not say that “ sham-
ming” was out of the question; the cases were
genuine enough.
Still, even under the existing circumstances I
do not think that the fortress would have sur-
rendered, if General Kondratienko had not been
killed by an ii-in. shell in North Kikuan fort on
December 15th. For the name that will go down
to history coupled with the defence of Port
Arthur will not be Stoessel’s. He was, from all
I can learn, nothing but a figure-head, a weak
and vain man, a martinet, unbeloved by his men,
and little respected by his officers. The real
man was Kondratienko. Together with Colonel
Rashefsky, of the engineers, he had planned the
fortifications, and he worked indefatigably day
and night to have them erected and perfected.
He was always alert, always in the fighting lines,
leading and cheering his men, and sharing their
hardships, always full of resource, ever able to
check a Japanese move by a cleverly thought-
out counter-move. He was the born leader to
whom everybody bowed, and his strong will, wide
knowledge, and great personal bravery, made him
the soul of the whole defence. He was the idol
of his soldiers, who knew his firm intention to
continue the fight to the bitter end. When he
died, everything seemed to collapse, everybody
lost heart, and the party who, headed by Stoessel,
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