The Beaumont enterprise. [volume] (Beaumont, Tex.) 1904-current, 1904-09-15
ORLOfF'S BREAK
At LAO YANG
CONSIDERED RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE DEFEAT OF THE RUS.
SIAN ARMY.
FAILED TO HOLD YtNTAI MINES
War Office Is Extremely Retiesnt
Regarding the Present Situation
and the Future Plans
at the Front.

Kuropatkin's official report which was
given out tonight comes as a consid-
cradle relief as setting at rest the
stories of loss OF guns, cutting of of
divisions and the death or capture Of
prominent commanders, which has
been freely circulated here.
The report, which is very long
one, enters at considerable detail in.
to the various phases of the battle of
Lao Yang and entirely bears out the
declaration of the Associated Press
at the time, that Gen Orlof's failure
to hold the vital position at the Yen
tai mines was responsible for the
breaking down of the whole of Gen.
Kuropatkin's plan of battle and turn
: ed a potential victory into defeat
The manner in which the retreat
was carried out in the face of the
terrible condition of the country and
| the determined pressure of the ia
panese armies does much to restore
zen. Kuropatkin's prestige in militia.
ry circles.
The report dwells upon the terrible
difficulties encountered during the re-
treat from Lao Yang from positions
on the southern front when "a horses
and whole company of infantry har-
messed to a single gun were not able
| to remove it from a quagmire. 1t is
shown that the retirement from Liao
Yang to the north bank of the Taitse
river was carried out in good order
!, and with celebrity under cover of night
on August 81, when it had become
evident that Gen. Kuroki was making
a determined drive at the Russian
communications north of Lao Yang
Gen. Kuropatkin pays tribute to the
courage and devotion OF every arm
| of the service under his command
and especially to the bravery of the
troops to whom was set the task of
recapturing the Skywantun hills on
the north bank of the Taitse river.
The engagement on the night of Sep
tember was productive of some Of
| the most severe fighting of the whole
battle. 1t was practically company
commanders fight, the commands be-
ing separated in the darkness and in
| dependent units acting upon their own
initiative with the one object of car
rying out the commanders orders to
retake the heights.
This account puts the Russian SOL
dier in very different light from the
generally accepted belief that he is
a mere military automatOn capable OF
acting only under explicit instruction.
The report as given out does not
state the casualties but the Asso-
ciated Press is authoritatively in
formed that they were under 1000.
The war office is extremely reticent
regarding the present situation and
future plans at the front 1t is stated
in general terms that the army is
concentrated around Mukden, leaving
the inference that it is ready to make
another stand. There has been no
rain the past two days and it is proba'
BILE the country will now dry up and
leave two months of good weather
Tor fighting.
Many things may happen during
this period. but the Associated Press
is informed by high authority that
preparations are being steadily push
ed looking to the wintering of the
Russian army at Harbin.