The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-09-15
A STORY OF DISASTER
1t Begins With the Retreat from Am
ping Toward Lao Yang, DweIIs on
the Struggles Of the Army Forcing a
Way Over the Many Natural OBJ
stacIes, Tells of Abandoned Guns
and the Arrival and Desperate
Fighting at Lao Yang.
lBy the Associated Press.) }

4
st. Petersburg, Sept. 14.-The long
expected report of General Kuropat-
| kin on the battle of Liao Yang has
been received. 1t is dated September
H. and is as follows:
''It is now possible from details of
the battles since August 26, in which
various army corps participated, to
furnish Your Majesty the following re-
| port of operations
"On August 26 the Manchurian army
| occupied three groups of positions, the
| first at Pettsu and Anping on the left
| flank; the second at Liandiansian, III
| the centre, and the third at Anshan-
shan on the right flank. The same
day the Japanese assumed the often
sive along the whole front. At Liam
diansian all their attacks were repuls-
ed and ON the left we retained our
principal position at Anping. After a
desperate battle the Japanese howev-
er, succeeded in securing the position
at PettSu, thus threatening the line or
retreat of the corps along the Tau
river. simultaneously a turning moye-z
ment by considerable forces of Jap
| apese was observed on the left flank
| of our position at Anshanshan.
Taking advantage of our 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 at Lao
| Yang.
Guns Lost in Retreat.
"In consequence of the mountainous
nature of the country on our front and
| the bad conditions of the roads to-
wards the South, the two days march
| toward Liao Yang was of the most diff
/ ficult kind, and only the devotion of all
| the troops on the east front enabled it
| to be carried out in good order. After
Incredible difficulties was it found pos
sible to drag all the guns without ex-
| ception and all our baggage through
| the passes. Some of our 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 centre columns succeed
ed in getting all their artillery and
baggage to Lao Yang.
| 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
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 hitch
ed to each piece, companies of infan-
try assisting with ropes. The horses
and men, however, sunk SO deep that
it was necessary for the comrades of
the latter to haul them out General
Rutkovsky remained SO long, covering
the eXtrication of the guns that his
force lost heavily, and the general him
self and Colonel Raben, commanding
the Fourth Regiment of East Siberian
Sharpshooters, were killed Notwith-
standing all efforts. it was finally ne
cessary to abandon the guns.
"On August 20 the army concen-
trated at Liao Yang. One corps took
a position on the right bank of the
Taitse River, while another held the
left bank.
Massing at Liao Yang.
ION August 80 and 81 the Japan
ese attacked our advance positions
with great energy, but everywhere
were fepulsed with enormous losses.
There was desperate fighting on our
left flank and centre. accompanied
by number of counter attacks, re-
sultlng in bayonet fighting and / was
compelled to reinforce the fighting
line with the special reserves and the
general reserves.
During August 81. it could clearly
|
, General Kuroki's army crossed 10 the
right bank of the Taitse River Ow-
ing to attacks on our left on August
80 and 81. It was to be supposed that
the main force of Kuroki's army had
been told to turn the left flank of
our position and attack our line of
communication. In consequence
resolved to withdraw the advance
troops to the main position and con-
centrate large force against KurOkl
and attempt to hurl his army back
upon the Taitse River. Only at cer-
. tain points was this carried out sue
cessfully.
The Evacuation Begun
AT nightfall, undisturbed by the
japanese, we commenced the eVacud-
| tlon of our advanced positions. WniGn y,
already had rendered great serVlce - -
weakening the enemy by ehoIAio1S
| Continued on Page six.)