Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-09-15
PERTH AMBox EVENING NEWS. THURSDAY, s~RPrEMBER 8 .go+
KUROPATKIN'SSTORY
Russian General Reports to
Gear on Liaoyang Battle.
GENERAL ORLOFF'S DEFEAT FATAL.
His Failure to Hold sykwantun
Forced Entire Army's Retreat.
Guns and Baggage
fully Removed.

AuAAy
ST. PETERSBURG, Sept. 15y-Under
the date of Sept. IL General Kuropat-
kin reports to the emperor as follows:
at is now possible, from the details
of the battles since Ang, 20, in which
various army corps participated, to
furnish your majesty the following re-
port of operations: afag. 49,
ION Aug. 26 the Manchurian army
occupied three groups of positions, the
first at Pettsu and Anping on the left
flank; the second at Liandiansan in the
center, and the third at Anshanshan
On the right flank. The same day the
Japanese assumed the offensive along
the whole front. At Liandiansia9< all
their attacks were repulsed, and on the
left we retained u principal position
at Anping. After a desperate battle
the japanese, however, succeeded i'll
securing the position at Pettsu, thus
threatening the line of retreat of the
corps along the Tan river. Simultane-
ously a turning movement by consid-
cradle forces of japanese was observ-
ed on the left flank of our position at
Anshanshan. y
Taking advantage of u positions
at Liandiansian and Anping in order
to gain time and inflict severe losses on
the enemy, l withdrew all the army
corps from advanced positions to Lao
yang.
SIN consequence of the mountainous
nature of the country on our front and
the bad condition of the roads toward
the south, the two days march toward
Liaoyang was of the most difficult
kind, and only the devotion of all the
troops on the east front enabled it to
be carried out in good order. Only
after incredible difficulties was it found
possible to drag all the guns without
exception and all our baggage through
the passes. Some of the guns were
carried through the mountains by in
fantry. Difficult as was the retreat
through the passes, under pressure
from the enemy, the march across the
open country was still more arduOus.
The left and center columns succeeded
in getting all their artillery and bag
gage to Liaoyang.
'The march of the right column,
which was obliged to cross westward
to the railway, where the country had
suffered most severely from rains, was
especially difficult. Considerable forces
of the enemy followed the rear guard,
which maintained a stubborn resist
ance. The guns of one of the retiring
batteries began to sink in the mud.
Every effort was made to ave them.
Twenty-four horses were hitched to
each piece, companies of infantry as
sisting with ropes. The horses and
men, however, sank so deep that it
was necessary for the comrades of the
latter to haul them out. General Rut-
kovsky remained so long covering the
~extrication of the guns that his force
lost heavily, and the general himself
and Colonel Raben, commanding the
Fourth regiment of east Siberian
sharpshooters, were killed. Notwith-
standing all efforts it was finally neces-
sary to abandon the guns.
"On Aug. 20 the army concentrated
Mt Liaoyang. One corps took a position
on the right bank of the Taitse river,
while another held the left bank.
ION Aug. 80 and 81 the japanese at
tackled our advance positions with
great energy, but everywhere were re-
pulsed with enormous losses. There
was desperate fighting on our left flank
and center, accompanied by a number
of counter attacks, resulting in bayonet
fighting, and l was compelled to re-
enforce the fighting line with the spe-
cial reserves and the general reserves.
During Aug. 81 it could clearly be
seen that a considerable force of Gen
eral Kuroki's army had crossed to the
right bank of the Taitse river. Owing
to attacks on u left on Aug. 80 and
81 it was to be supposed that the main
body of Kurokrs army had been told
off to turn the left flank of our position
and attack our line of communication.
In consequence l resolved to withdraw
the advance troops to the main position
and concentrate a large force against
Kuroki and attempt to hurl his army
back upon the Taitse river. Only at
certain points was this carried out sue.
cessfully.
cat nightfall, undisturbed by the
Japanese, we commenced the evacua.
ton of our advanced positions, which
: already had rendered great service in
weakening the enemy by enormous
losses. Thanks to the sufficient mum.
Der of bridges and the manner il
which the roads leading to them had
been laid out, all the troops destined tt
take the offensive were safely on the
right bank of the river Oh the morn
ing of Sept. L. The enemy did not oc
! cupy our abandoned advance positions
until the evening of Sept. / when they
opened an artillery fire upon Liaoyang
No trophies Of wal fell into the hands
of the enemy.
II adopted the following plan of OPP
erations: Having crossed to the RICH
1-1 Is