The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-09-17
GEN. KUR0PATKIN'S
OFFICIAL REPORT
He Describes in Detail the Battle
at Lao Yang.
GIVES CAUSE OF His DEFEAT

General Orlof's Failure 20 Ho'o fe"'d'
Mines Changed Plan Of Battle ana
Retreat Was Made Under Terrible
Difficulties.
St Petersburg. Sept IS, 800 General
Knropatkin's official report comes ~
considerable relief as setting AT rest
alarmist stories of the loss Of guns. the
cutting of or divisions ana the "e"'"
or capture Of prominent commanueIS'
which have been freely circulating
here The rppOTt, which is a very long
one. enters at considerable det'll lhto
the various phases OF the battle OF Lao
Yang and entirely bears out the dcclar-
alton of the Associated Press at the
time that General Orlon's failure TO
mold the vital position at the Nentai
mines Was responsible for the breahlhs
down Of the whole of General kuro-
patkin's plan of battle and turned
potential victory into defeat The man
ner in which the retreat was carried
nut in the face OF the terrible condition
Of the country and the determined pres
sure of the Japanese armies does much
10 restore General Kuropatkin's pres
tige in military circles.
The report dwells upon the terFiple
difficulties encountered during the re-
treat at Lao Yang from positions on
the southern front when "A horses and
n whole company of infantry harnessed
TO a single gun were not able 10 re-
move the gun from a quagmire. IL Is
shown that the retirement from Lao
Yang to the north bank OF the Iaitse
river was carried out in good order
and with CELEBRITY under cover OF night
on August 81. when 1t had become evil
dent that General Kuroh was making
a determined drive al the Russian com
munications north of Lao Yang. Gen
eral Kuropatkin pays tribute 10 the
courage and devotion OF every arm OF
the service under his command, and
especially TO the bravery OF the troops
10 whom was set the task OF recaptur-
ing the Sykwantun hills. on the norm
bank of the Taitse river. The engage
ment of the night OF September was
productive of some of the most severe
nghting of the whole battle. IL was
practically a company commanders
fight, commands becoming separated in
the darkness and Independent units
acting upon their own initiative with
the one object of carrying out the com
mander's orders TO Tetake the heights
This account puts the Russian SOL
der in a very different light from the
generally accepted belief that he is
mere military autOmatOn. capable only
Of acting in a mass under specific in
stTuctions.
The necessity OF retaking the Syk-
wantun Heights formed the first break
in General KuTopatkin's plan and lost
aim a whole day. September 2. and thus
delayed launching the blow against
Kuroki: and when the Russians had
lust regained a foothold on the coveted
position, Orloff's failure TO hold theta
anese advance against the Yentai mines
threatened the development of kuro-
patkin on the north, crippled the whole
Russian scheme and forced the now
historic retreat 10 Mukden.
The report as given out does not
state the casualties, but the Associated
Press is authoritatiyely informed that
they were under 1900.
The war Office is extremely reticent
regarding the present situation and fl-
ture plans at the front II is stated in
general terms that the army is concen-
trated around Mukden, leaving the in
ference that it is ready 10 make an
other stand There has been no rain
the past two days. and it is probable
the country will now dry up and leave
two months of good weather for the
fall campaign.
Many things may happen during this
period. but the Associated Press is in
formed by a high authority that prep
arations are being steadily pushed look
ing 10 the wintering of the Russian
army at Hardin.
Japanese Are Not Advancing
Berlin, Sept l5.-Colonel Gaedke. the
war correspondent of the Tageblatt
telegraphing 10 his paper from Tie
Pass. says.
The Russian army is disposed south
of this point The Japanese have adj
vanced only about six miles north Of
Lao Yang"