The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-10-20
JAPANESE GAIN
4 GREAT VICTORY
RUSSIAN LINES WITHDRAWN
10 THE NORTH.
HEAVY LOSSES SUFFERED
Deep Gloom in st. Petersburg Over
the Situation--The Gear Bitterly
Disappointed at Kuro-
patkin's Failure.

w (N~~AN~ ONNH - ~ =
news agency from Mukden, timed two
p. m. friday and received by way OF
Paris. says the Japanese have gained a
great victory and that the Russian lines
are withdrawing slowly northward, hav-
ing suffered heavy losses. The battle
continues and dispatches are strictly
censored.
Result in the Balance.
Mukden, Oct. 1.-THE lighting ragged
Friday with the same bitterness as on
the previous days OF the engagement,
and the result is still in the balance.
The losses on both sides are enormous,
that Of the Russians being 1900.
Wounded soldiers are being brought in
from all directions. The roads are
crowded with long trains Of wagons.
baggage and transport wagons, as well
as ambulances, being pressed into sery-
Ice, even Chinese two wheeled carts fill
ing the mandate of the military. Men
afoot are limplne in, using their guns
as crutches, the less severely wounded
supporting their comrades, after a first
aid dressing on the firing line. Even
acros the fields you meet them, taking
the shortest and straightest road for
help and shelter, It is the most pitiful
feature Of the bloody drama being en-
acted at the front. when, s~tiffening with
wounds. pain-racked bodies sink to the
roadside after the support of the dan
ger and glory of the active fight have
been withdrawn In the distance the
sounds Of battle are still plainly heard.
In Full Retreat.
London, Oct. 1.-THE Daily Chron-
icle's correspondent at Yentai, tele-
graping October IL, via Fusan, October.
IA, says: 1.-THE Russian attack failed
everywhere, and they are in full retreat
along the whole line. pursued by the
Japanese. Thirty Russian guns were
captured and the japanese turning
movement is pressing the Russians back
to Mukden. The Russians made 16 coun-
ter attacks with splendid bravery, sac
rjfcing themselves freely, but unayail-
ingly."
Gloom in st. Petersburg.
st. Petersburg, Oct. 15.-lThe great
feeling Of concern which exists in high
circles in the Russian capital by no
means equals the foreboding of coming
disaster peryading the general public.
which is INDUCING in the deepest pes
simism. In the absence OF official news
the public is being fed on the widest
rumors Of defeat suffered by Gen. Kuro-
patkin Friday. The fact that no word
regarding the battle has been officially
given out only confirms the popular
fear. The explanation offered that Fri
day wa a holiday does not suffice to al
lay the apprehension.
Gear Bitterly Disappointed.
Gen. Kuropatkin's report Of the result
of the days operations has reached EN-
peror Nicholas at Tsarkoe Selo, but it
had not been returned here before the
war commission, which sat only until
$3.50 O'Clock and adjourned. The en-
peror himself is represented as being
bitterly disappointed and spending
hours with his cabinet, studying out,
with the help of his military aides, the
reports of the battle. The general staff,
however, by no means despairs, though
admitting that the tide the last two
lays has been against Gen. Kuropatkin.
The depressing feature of the situa-
tion is that every one is willing to be-
lieye the worst. Thus reports from
Toxic and elsewhere stating that the
Japanese are advancing and the Rus
slams falling back are accepted with faith
based upon the previous Russian re-
treat.
Must Bear Responsibility.
Naturally many reports are current
as to the genesis of the forward move
ment. 1t is freely stat that Gen. Kuro-
patkin was forced into taking the often
siye by pressure of the authorities here.
This has been officially denied, and as
Gen. Kuropatkin's order to advance was
given over his own signature, 1t seems
likely that he will have to bear all the
responsibility, whether the situation Is
of his own making or not. Friends of
Gen. Kuropatkin say the present often
sive movement was inspired from st.
Petersburg, as was doubtless Gen. Stack
elberg,'s movement for the relief OF
Port Arthur, and that If Kuropatkin's
star has set others higher than he are
responsible.
Fighting Was Desperate.
Dispatches from the front give a vivid
picture of the desperate character Of
the fighting along the whole line. The
Russian plairsmen have been again
forced to engage in hill fighting, which is
little to their liking. There have been
desperate and repeated attacks upon al
most inaccessible positions, which leave
no question of the resolution and gall
Iantry Of the Russian forces. Guns have
been captured and recaptured in fierce
hand to hs d fights, while a pitiless
downpour Of rain, the Inevitable accom-
,animent of a great battle, has flooded
the trenches and drenched both armies
without allaying the desperate conflict.
Russians Sustain Losses.
st. Petersburg. Oct. 15.-The EN-
peror has received the following dis
patch dated Thursday from Gen
Kuropatkin: