The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-10-11
GEN. KUROPATKIN
TAKES OFFENSIVE
Russians Drive laps From Bent
siaputze With Small Loss.
FORWARD MOVEMENT HAS BEGUN
The Two Opposing Armies Are Now
Threatening Each others Lines OF

and that the Japanese line has been
broken at Bentsiaputze. The japanese
occupied front of about % miles.
stretching from Bentsiaputze on the
east through Yentai and across the rail-
WY 10 the banks of the Hun river on
the west The Russian force had been
moving south in close touch with IN"
Japanesp advance since October I. The
japanese outposts were driven back ia
a series of skirmishes. and on October D
the Russians re-Occupied the station OF
Shakhe. ID miles south of Mukden. the
railway battalion restoring The bridge
across the Shakhe river the nest day
in order to facilitate the advance.
Meanwhile General Mistchenko's Cos
sacks pushed southwestward as iar AS
the Yentai mines. defeating the Japa-
upso i'm a series OF warm skirmisheh.
The most important action. however,
occurred on the Japanese right al Benz
staputze. Here the japanese held a
strong and important position. but II
seems they made the ineXplicablo omis-
l a
was the key 20 the whole situation.
The position at Bentsiapul2e was
strongly fortified. and expected no with
stand attack 10 is reported that Gen
eral Kuroki was there in person. The
japanese had omitted TO fOrtify one
! hill, which Was the key 10 the position.
/ The Russians. aware of this OMISSION
made a wide detour eastward and seized
the hill with little opposition. The bill
once occupied. exposed the whole Jap
anese position To "A heavy thanking fire.
The Russians also turned the japanese
right. and the fortified positions thus
| becoming untenablc. the Japanese were
forced to withdraw hurTiedly from
Bentsiaputze. fighting a rear guard at
ton in which they suffered heavily.
The Russian losses throughout wore
small. although severe opposition had
been expected
While these operations are pr0gress-
ing south OF Mukdrn. it is reported chat
the two Japanese divisions under Gen
eral Fuchimi are marching west mp the
Lao river and are now p miles south
Of Siminun. General Kuroki is eN-
pected 20 make a similar move east
ward. This statement, if accurate.
leaves the two armies in the Anomalous
position Of threatening each others
lines of communication the Japane,o
by wide turning movement. while The
Russians pushing south have already
inflicted a blow on The japanese right
and are cTOwding back their centre
along the railway
While it is understood that Mukden
IS not heavily fortified General Kuro-
patkin has a powerful force behind
him, strongly posted al Tie Pass and
If. as he asserts. the Russians are now
powerful enough to assume the often
sive. it is possible his advance move
ment will force the Japanese fanking
column to- withdraw in order to protect
their own base on the other hand
there seems 10 be a possibility Of one
OF both the Japanese columns threat
ening the railway behind the Russians
and forcing a suspension OF their az
F-essive movements
Nuropatkin's order.
Following is the text OF an order OF
the day issued By General Kuropatkin
end dated MulSden October ?.
More than seven months ago the
enemy treacherously Tell upon MS at
Port Arthur before war had been de
olared. Since then by land and sea
Russian troops have performed many
heroic deeds of which the fatherland
may Justly be proud. The enemy how
every. Is not only not overthrow. but
in his arrogance continues 10 dream
of complete victory.
"The troops of the Manchurian
army. in mvarying good spirits. hith-
crto have not been numerically strong
enough 10 defeat the Japanese army.
Much time is necessary for overcoming
all the difficulties Of strengthening the
active army so as to enable il 20 ac-
complish with complete success the
arduous but honorable task imposed
upon il. It is for this reason that. in
spite Of the repeated repulse OF Japa-
nese attacks on our positions at TIA
Tche Kiao. Liandiansian and Lao
Yang. did not consider that the time
had arrived to take advantage OF these
successes and to begin a forward move
ment. and I therefore gave the order
to retreat.
Il ordered the retreat with sorrow
ful heart. but with mistaken conf
dence that It was necessary in order
TO gain complete and decisive victory
over the enemy when the time came.
THE emperor has assigned for the
conflict with Japan forces sufficient 70
assure us victory. All difficulties in
Transporting these forces over a dis
lance of 10000 versts are being over
come in a spirit of self-sacrifce and
with indomitable energy and skill by
Russian men of every branch and rank
of the service. and every social posi-
ton 10 whom has been entrusted this
work. which for difficulty is unprece-
de1ted in the history of warfare.
III the regiments which already
have been sent out prove insufficient.
fresh troops will arrive for the in
flexible will Of the emperor that we
should vanluish the foe will be in
nexibly fulfilled Heretofore the enemy.
In operating. has relied on his great
forces and. disposing his armies so as
to surround us, has chosen as he
deemed fit. his time for attack; but
now the moment to go to meet the
enemy. for which the whole army has
been longing has come, and the time
has arrived for us to compel the Japa-
nese to do our WILL for the forces of !
the Manchurian army are strong |
enough to begin a forward movement
Nevertheless. you must be increasingly |
mindful of the victory 10 be gained |