The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1904-09-07
LAO YANG EVACUATED.
Kuropatkin's Whole Army In
Retire at to Mukden.

The latest news from the seat Oh
war gives information Of a most sig
rificant character, as bearing on the
domination of Manchuria at the close
Of the present campaign, as 1t is
said that General Kuropatkin has
withdrawn his whole army to the
light bank of the Taitse river, so as
10 meet General Kuroki's flanking
movement, and that Lao Yang had
been evacuated, that city lying on the
left bank of the river
The following statement was OBJ
lained from the Russian war office:
General Kuroh's army crossed in
force TO The right bank Of the Taftse
river and it therefore became neces-
sary for the Russians to be in a po-
sition to repel a blow in this direc-
ton.
an view of this development in the
operations, General Kuropatkin de-
cided to abandon his positions on the
left bank and to concentrate his whole
army on the other side of the river.
This position is of the strongest both
In character and in site. The great
issue will be finally decided there
by withdrawing to this position the
Russian army avoids the danger of
being divided by the river and enjoys
the advantage of compactness.
General Kuropatkin's move, there.
fore, is not to be considered as re-
treat, but rather as the carrying out
Of well defined idea"
The fighting at Lao Yang has beat.
en all records for the desperate valor
of the assailants and the invincible
stubbornness of the defenders. The
whole history of warfare tells of no
such bombardments, no such carnage
and no such persistency Day after
day the fight has been resumed at
daybreak and kept up with scarce a
moments intermission until after
nightfall.
War SCARED veterans scarce be-
lieye the stories which come from the
seat of war and declare that it is be.
yond human endurance for an army TO
fight without respite for whole week.
each day Of which has exceeded its
predecessor in intensity of struggle
and carnival of slaughter. Day after
day the thousands of dead bestrewing
the battlefield have to be removed.
The Japanese have invented new
methods to incinerate the heaps of
dead, comrades removing the ashes
for the honcrs of burial in Japan.
The wounded present most serious
problem. as they tax the transport ca
pacity on either side to the utter
most
The most difficult problem, however,
is the bringing up of supplies of food
and ammunition to every point of the
lighting line which extends from 10
to 20 miles
Never has such a bombardment
been known. An eyewitness of the
battle of Vafangow told the cores
pondent that many officers suffered
nervous prostration owing to the ter
rible roar of the artillery, and one
military attache had to be invalided
home for the same reason; yet the ar
tillery fire at Vafangow was far infer
ior in intensity to that at Lao Yang.
Russian Casualties 10000.
A few additional details of the pro-
gross of the battle at Liao Yang have
reached Toxic.
General Kuroki's right is continu'
ing to press :he attack at Heiyingtai
seeking ground whence their guns
will dominate the railroad The
troops under General Kuroki are jad.
ed and weary. They have been march.
ing and fighting since Aug. 23, but in
spite of this they attacked with spirit.
The Japanese are confident that
they have already swept back the
strong Russian force with which they
have been engaged and It is probable
that when the details are known II
will be found that great tragedy was
enacted along the Taitse river.
The Taitse is flooded and cannot be
forded. General Olu, in command of
the Japanese left army, has directed
his energies to forcing the Russians
to the river, and it is probable that
many were drowned there.
Unofficial estimates place the Rus
sian forces in the vicinity of Liao
Yang at Is divisions Of $4,000 men
each. These are probably excessive
but 1t is evident that numerically the
Russians exceed the japanese.
The opinion that the Russian cas-
ualties in the recent fighting will
reach 10000 is confidently expected
in high quarters here. Neither Field
Marshal Oyama nor the Japanese
army commanders have yet estimated
the Russian losses.
Toxic Rejoices Over Victory.
Toxic rings with shouts and cheers
for the victory at Lao Yang. Crowds
swing through the streets and surge
around the staff offices shouting Ban
| zai"
No estimates are obtainable of the
losses on either side. Field Marshal
Oyama describes his losses in the
morning assault as heavy The EARL
success Of the attack was somewhat
unexpected on account of the strength
Of the Russians and the nature o.
the Russian defences.
The London newspapers discuss
the problem as to whether Genera
Kuropatldn will be able to extricatc
his force or whether Marshal Oyamf
will succeed in completing the victory