The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-09-23
"a FULL REPORT
Of the Battle of Lao Yang Tells How
Plans Failed
AND CAUSED RUSSIAN DEFEAT

General Kuropatkin Tells OF His
Movements and Retreat tn
Mukden. Blames General
Orloh for Defeat.
A dispa.c ch from st. Petersburg says
the long expected report OF Gen,
Kuropatkin on the battle of Liao
Yang has been received. 1t is dated
September IL and is as follows
1T is now possible, from details OF
the battles since August %, in which
various army corps participant d, to
furnish your majesty the following re
port Of operations:
"On August 26 the ManchuIian
army occupi. d three groups Of pcsi-
tions, Uhe fist at Pettsu and Anping
on the left flank; the SIC d at Liam
diansian, in the centre, ard the thild
at Anshapshan on the right flank.
The same day the Japanese assum' d
the offensive along the whole front.
at Lial diansian all their attacks
were re pulsed, and on the left we re-
tanned our principal position at Amp
Ing. After a desperate blttle the
Japanese, however, succe' d, Il in sCcur-
ing the position at PettSu, thus
threatening the line Of retreat Of the
corps along the Tan river. Simulta-
neOuSly turning movement by con-
siderable forces Of Japanese was OBJ.
served on the left flank Of our position
at Anshanshan.
:, Taking advantage Of our position
at Liandiansian and Anping in order
to gain time and intlct severe losses
on the enemy, withdrew all the army
corps from advanced positions to Lao
Yang.
In consequence Of the mountain
GUS nature or .of the country un our
front and the bad condition of the
roads towards the south, the two
days march towaId 'Liao Yang was Of
the most difficult kindS ard only the
devotion Of all the troops on the east
front enabled 1t to be carried out in
good order Only after incre dible
difficulties was it found possible to
drag all the guns without exception
and all our baggage through the
passes. Some of the guns were car
ried through the mountains by infan-
try. Difficult as was the retreat
through the passes uuder pressure
from the enemy, the march across the
open country was still more al duous
The left and center columns succee ded
in getting all their artillery and bag
grge to Liao Yang.
MARCHING DIFFICULT.
'sThe march Of the right column,
which was obliged to cross westwal
to the railway, where the country had
sss,l,t tfaretf mn stlReYPrely " from rains, was
especially difficult. CorSidera bic
forces of the enemy followed the rear
guard, which maintained stubborn
resistance. The guns of one of the
retiring batteries began to sink in the
mud. Every effort was made to save
them. Twenty.four horses were
hitched to each piece, companies of
infantry assisting with ropes. The
horses and men, however, sunk Sc
deep 1T was necessary for the comrades
OF the latter to haul them out. Gen.
Rutkovsky remained so long, cover
ing the extrication OF the guns that
his force lost heavily, ard the general
himself and Col. Raben, commanding
the fourth regiment OF East Siberian
sharpshCoters, were killed. Notwith
standing all efforts, it was finally
necessary to abandon the guns.
"On August 30 the army c0ncen-
trated at Liao Yang. one rps took
a position on the right bank Of the
Taitse river, while another held the
lett bank.
"On August 80 and 8 the Japanese
attacked our advarce positions with
great energy, but everywhere we're re-
pulsed with enormous losses. There
was desperate fighting on our left
flank and centre, accOmpanis by Il
number Of counter attacks, resulting
In bayonet Sighting and was com
PEELED to reinforce the fighting line
with special reserves and the general
reserves.
During August 81 it could clearly
be seen that Il considerable force OF
Gen. Kuroki's army had crossed to the
right bank OF the TaitSe river. Owing
to attacks on our left on August 30
and 81 was to he supposed that the
main body OF Kuroki's army had been
told to turn the left flank OF our posi-
tlOn and attack our line OF cOmmuni-
cations. In consequence | resolved
to withdraw the adyal ce troops t.
the main position and concentrate a
large froce against i<uroki and at
tempt to hurl his army back upon the
Taltse river. Only at certain points
was this carried out successfully.
EVACUATION COMMENCED.
AT nightfall, undisturbod by the
Japanese, we commenced the evacua.
6ion OF our advance positions, which
already had rendered great service in
weakening the enemy by enormous
losses. Thanks to the sufficient NUN
Der Of bridges and the manner in
which the roads leading to them hat
been laid out, all the troops destinot
to take the offensive we're safely or
the right bank of the river on the
morning Of September /. The enemy
did not occupy our abandoned advance
positions until the evening Of Septem
,ber i when they opened an artillery
fire upon Liao Yang. No trophies o.
war fell into the har DIS Of the enemy
I adopted the following plan o.
operations: Having cros> ed to the
right bank OF the river the army haC
taken up a position between the vii
lage Of the Sykwantun and height T.
near the Yentai mines, which it wa
intended to occupy with ali our de