New-York tribune., 1904-10-14
DESPERATE FIGHTING.
Russian Centre and Left Eing Hare
TO Fall Back on Main Position.

S. Petersburg, Oct l3-General Kuropatkin
reports that during the lighting yesterday and
today. the advance troops were reinforced from
the principal positions: that this evening the left
wing was ordered TO fall back or the main posi-
fion. and that about . .. m. the centre also
Was Obliged to fall back. The report does not
mention the fighting on the right wing.
The full text Of General Kuropatkns report,
which is dated October 1S and addressed TO the
Emperor. is follows:
Last night and throughout to-day the Man
ehurian army was engaged in fierce fight. The
Japanese concentrated a great force against
our dispositions on the centre and right wing.
We carried on the fight from advanced positions.
and II became necessary 10 support these ad-
vance guards from the main position. The right
wing held its advance position. and only at
nightfan under my orders. retired TO the prin-
cipai position In the centre the troops were
forced 10 retire from the advance 10 the main
position about p.
According 10 reports and 10 my own obser-
vstions the lighting was most desperate. We
repulsed numerous japanese attacks and our
selves assumed the offensive The heroic de-
fence OF its advance position by the Tomsk
regiment is especially deserving OF mention
During the night troops on the right
flank recaptured. at the point Of the bayonet,
village which had been lost the previous even
ing. on the left flank severe hghting for the
possession Of a pass has been continued our
troops scaled almost Inaccessible rocks and held
their ground for two days. gradually approach
ing the enemy.
Il have not vet receAed a report OF the re-
suit OF to-day's fight on the left wing. Under
The conditions or the fighting the losses are
necessarily considerable. have ordered that
the positions We now hold be stubbornly de-
Tended tomorrow"
General Kuropatkn himself is in the thickesr
of the fighting, and General Sakharoff. his chief
~ staff. is personally directing reconnoisances
The conflict has been most desperate at the
centre and on the west flank. The advance
guards at those points had To be repeatedly
reinforced owing to the great pressure Of the
japanese attacks. At nightfan on October u
the Russian right was Withdrawn from its main
position; but Of the abandoned positions
was retaken at the point Of the bayonet I'm the
night
Contrary 10 Field Marshal Oyama's report, no
indication is given in General Kuropatkin's tele-
gram of an enyeloping movement by General
Oka. The only positions captured by force We're
~ the centre, where the Russians were COM
PEELED TO retire in the afternoon. There is no
mention Of the loss OF guns The War Office de-
clnes 10 deny that there was such loss. but
bic While positions were changing hands. but
that even IL il is true # is OF no material con-
sequence.
According TO kilograms from Russian CORE
sponoents. the horrors OF the BATTLE were in
tensifed by bitter cold and rain
Emperor Nicholas held a council Of war to-
day, al which il is believed. the appointment
Of General Kuropatkin to the post of COM
mander in chief OF the forces in Nanchuria was
decided upon
The Baltic squadron will leave Libau tonight
for short cruise.
General Sakharon in a dispatch 20 The Cen
eral StaR dated October II. gives some details Of
the operations Of Monday and Tuesday. he
says:
The Manchuriap aftny October 10 strength
ened its hold IN the positions taken the previous
evening i've miles south Of the Shakhe River.
A. about o'clock in The afternoon Of October 10
the enemy took the offensive between the Man
DARN road and the village OF Toumytsa Cnorth
OF 1eiltaD. With about division Of infantry and
several batteries 81 artillery. The enemy's at
tack was checked ~ the fire Of our advance
guards They maintained an artillery lombard
mont Until the evening.
On October II the japanese attacked the Rus
SLAMS on both sides of the railroad and north OF
the feItai mines A fierce hght RACED all day
long. ana by night the greater portion of the
position occupied by the japanese in Khona
Pass had fsllen into the hands Of the Russians.
who, however AZ o'clock IN the evening had
laDA eFA HlcIe@leQ IN capturing wooded hill
constituting the key 10 the position
Throughout October II the Russians MAIN
fained the offensive along the entire front
against the japanese advanced positions, except
st come points whore they were obliged 20 re-
tire 20 their main positions.
Private dispatches sent the night Of October
II from the headquarters OF General BilderIing
whose CORDS occupies fhe Russian centre de-
scribe the bloody and desperate character OF the
fight along the railroad north OF Yentai station
where on Monday the Russians repeatedly
charged the japanese trenches al the point OF