The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-10-15
DRIVEN BACK
TO MUKDEN
Kuropatkin's Army Retreat.
ing Northward.
FIVE DAYS OF BATTLE
Russian Loss of $1,000 Marks the
Struggle as One Of the
BIoodiest in History
FIVE DAYS OF BATTLE

| LS-Nbc-Ns w. uiSButtb llOiH
Nukden says the japanese have gain.
ed great victory and that the Rus.
sian lines are withdrawing slowly
nOrthward, having suffered heavy loss
es, but still resisting. The battle con.
tinues. and dispatches are strictly CEN
sored. The losses, on both sides are
enormous. The Russians have $4,000
wounded, hundreds of whom are
streaming back from all directions.
The latest word direct from the field
of battle is a Mukden dispatch in
which the Russian loss is estimated at
| 1900. which. together with former
| casualties, would make the total prob
| ably exceed the figures of Liaoyang
and make the fight rank as one of the
bloodiest battles In history. A pitiabie
feature is the coming of thousands OF
wounded to Mukden. The roads and
fields are covered with crippled men
dragging themselves to the shelter OF
the hospitals. the wounded helping
each other. as few ahebodied men are
being spared from the fighting line
1t must he borne In mind in reading
the descriptions by correspondents at
the front that some of the guns have
been captured and recaptured in fierce
hand to hand fights, while u pitiless
downpour of rain the inevitable ac-
compartment of great battle, has
flooded the trenches and drenched both
armies without allaying the desperate
conflict.
II seems unquestionable that the Rus
sian advance upon the main japanese
position has been checked.
Marshal Oyama reports that the Rus
slams are falling back along the whole
line but still resisting as they retreat.
The dispatches relate entirely to the
developments of the fighting. They
make it plain that the battle is of the
most desperate character, the fighting
exceeding In fierceness the terrific COM
bat at Liaoyang.
The losses on both sides are I'M
doubleday heavy, but no figures have
as yet been received
Kuropatkin officially confirms the
loss of large number of guns on his
right flank, which was forced from
its position by night attack Of the
japanese He was also compelled to
withdraw some distance on his left, as
the position was found to be too far
advanced.
The dispatches show that the opera
tons are unfavorable for the Russians.
The Russian losses are reported as es-
pecially heavy on their left and cen
ter. where 1t appears that the hottest
fighting occurred.
Marshal Oyama sends the following |
report:
I'm the direction of Bensihu the en- !
envy have made repeated counter at |
tacks, but were repulsed. The enemy |
showed d sign of retreat toward the |
evening, and our forces have assumed |
the offensive since daybreak on Thurs
day. The fianking movement of our
strong force of cavalry on the Kanien
largely contributed to the favorable de-
celopment of the situation in that
quarter
The central and left columns Of the
light army both occupied important
.minences, continuing attacks. Opera
ions Of the central army are progress
ng favorably. dislodging the enemy
here from several strategical posi-
ions. Our re-enforcements are arriv-
ng continually at Yentai"
st. Petersburg dispatches say that
General Kuropatkin has reported as
ollows:
Two regiments Of the Russian right
N Oct II suffered heavy losses. The
Of one was killed, and the
brigade commander was wounded.
Both regiments were compelled to
abandoning their artillery,
ut subsequently, under Colonel Van
ovsky, who temporarily assumed COM
nand Of TIE brigade, they, after a des-
crate assault, regained possession Of
he guns, with the exception of sixteen,
Witch remained in the hands Of the
apanese.
THE final issue OF the battle on this
ank was unsuccessful for us. On ac-
cunt of a night attack of the Japa-
ese, who executed a turning move '
lent our troops were forced not only t
D abandon their positions, but again :
,st the guns previously recovered.