Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-09-23
Official Report From the Com
maading General Is
Finally Issued.
v ALL HIS EQUIPMENT
His Recital Is a Relief From the
Alarmist Reports Of Great Loss
Of Men, Guns. and Capture
Of Commander.

cradle relief. as setting at rest alarm
ing stories of the loss of guns. the cut
ting off of divisions and the death or
capture OF prominent commanders,
which have been freely circulated here,
The report. which is a very long n
enters at considerable detail into the
various phases of the battle of Lao
Yang, and entirely bears out the dec
laration OF the Associated Press at the
time that General Orloff's failure to
hold the vital position at the Yentai
mines vas responsible for the breaking
down OF the whole of General Kuro-
patkin's plan Of battle and turned a
potential victory into defeat. The
manner in which the retreat was CAR
rfed out In the face OF the terrible con
dition of the country inc the deter
mined pressure of the Japanese armies
does much to restore General Kuro-
patkin's prestige In military circles.
The war office Is extremely reticent
regarding the present situation and
future plans at the front. There has
been no rain the last two days, and ii
is probable the country will now dry
up n leave two months OF good
weather for the fall campaign.
Many things may happen during this
period, but the Associated Press is in
arations are being steadily pushed
looking to the wintering of the Russian
army at Hardin.
GEL eraI kuropatkin's Report.
Under date of September II General
Kuropatkin reports to the emperor as
\ follows:
Y "It is now possible from details of
the battles since August 26. In which
various army corps participated, to fur
nish your majesty the following report
OF operations:
"On August rs the M~anchurian army
occupied three groups of position, the
first at Pettsu and Anping, on the left
flank; the second at Liandiansian. in
the center, and the third at Anshan-
shan, on the right flank. On the same
day the Japanese assumed the. Of
fensive along the whole front. AT
Liandiansian all their attacks were re-
pulsed, and on the left we retained our
principal position at Anping. After a
desperate battle the Japanese, however,
succeeded in securing the position at
Pettsu, thus threatening the line of re-
treat of the corps along the Tau river
simultaneously a turning movement by
considerable forces of japanese was OBJ
served 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 loss on
the enemy. / withdrew all the army
corps from advanced positions TO Lao
Yang.
"In OF the mountainous
nature OF the country on u front and
the bad condition OF the roads toward
the south, the two days march toward
Lao Yang was of the most difficult
kind, and the devotion Of the troops
on the east front enabled 1T to be car
ried out in good order. Only after In
- Ht0e--l4x~ $50 - ~ CN4rn1 noe
sible to drag all the guns without ex-
ception and all our baggage through
the passes. Some Of the guns were car
ried 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 center columns succeeded in
getting all their artillery and baggage
to Lao Yang.
Rains Hindered Greatly.
THE march of the right column,
which was obliged to cross westward to
the railroad. 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 resist
ance. The guns of one of the retiring
batteries began TO sin in the mud.
h ~ - A NthoAt ~ "a ~ Af&ff
Twenty-four horsese were hitched to
each piece, companies of infantry as
sisting with ropes. The horses and
men, however, SUM so deep that IL was
necessary for the comrades OF the latter
to haul them out. General Rutkovsky
remained so long covering the extrica-
ton of the guns hat his force lost
heavily, and the general himself and
Colonel Ratsen, commanding the Fourth
regiment of East Siberian sh~arpshoot-
ers, were killed. Notwithstanding all
efforts, 1t was finally decided to aband-
on the guns.
"On August 20 the army concentrated
at Lao Yang. One corps took a posi-
ton on the right flank OF the Taitse
river, while another held the left bank.
"On August 80 and 81 the Japanese
attacked cur advance positions with
great energy, but everywhere were re-
pulsed with enormous losses. There
was desperate fighting on left and
center. accompanied by a number OF
counter attacks, resulting in bayonet
fighting, and / was compelled to rein
force the fighting line with the special
reserves and the general reserves.
During August 81 ii could clearly be
seen that a considerable force of Gen.
eral Kuroki's army had crossed the
right bank of the Taitse river. Owing
to attacks on our left on August 80
IN 81 IN q w NC HARR1RGa Mai l4IF
main body OF Kuroki's army mad been
taken off to. turn the left flank of our
position and attack our line of COM
munication. In consequence / resolved
to withdraw the advance, troops from
b main position and concentrate a
large force against Kuroki and attempt
to hurl his army back on the Taitse
river. Only at certain points was this
carried out successfully.
Crossed River on Bridges.
AT nightfalI. undisturbed by the
Japanese. VI commenced the evacua-
ton OF our advanced positions, which
already la rendered excellent service
in weakening the enemy by enormous
losses Thanks to the sufficient num-
Der OF bridges and the manne In
which the roads leading to them had
been laid out, all Che troops destined
to take the offensive were safely on the
right bank OF the river on the morning
OF September I,
'The enemy did not occupy our
abandoned positions until the evening
OF September !, when they opened an
artillery Ore on Lao Yang. No tro-
phies OF war fell Into the hands OF
the enemy.
4 adopted the Following plan Or op-
erat1ons:
Having crossed to the right bank
OF the riyef. the army had tf.ken up a.
position between the 5iliage OF Syk-
wantun and the heights near the Yen~