Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-09-09

and set fire to the enor-
nous quantities OF army stores aud
provisions there before they evacu-
ated.
Sund0y-Field Marshal Oyama,
teleGraphlDg to Toxic at 8 a. m.
Sunday, says the japanese had just
occupied LiaoyaDg, the fighting
continuing up to Sunday morning.
"Our casualties" says the Field
Marshal, "are believed to be very
heavy"
General Stakelberg's First Siberian
Army Corps, $4,000 strong. which
General Kuropatkin reported as cut
off by the Japanese west of Liaoyang,
has escaped and rejoined the main
Russian army. General Stakelberg
who had been left on the south bank
of the Taitse river, crossed to the
north bank unmolested by the Japa-
nese, though Kuropatkin had evil
IDENTIFY expected that the Japs would
crush him. He escaped in time to
enable the remnant of General
Olloff's detachment to retreat. Five
days of fighting and marching had
worn kuroki's men 80 that they were
unable to Immediately follow up the
advantage gained.
Orloff was suddenly attacked by
Japanese concealed in the tall
Chinese corn and grass, The Rus
slams appear to have been thrown
into panicky retreat, one regiment
losing 1900 men, about half of it's
strength. Stakelberg's exploit in
covering the retreat may condone his
disobedience of orders in remaining
on the south bank of the Taitse too
long. Unless forgiven by the Gar
be will have to appear before a court
maj tial.
To st. Petersburg and other Rus
sian points General Kuropatkin's
defeat and consequent retreat came
as thunderbolt. Few believed il
possible that with the great force at
his command, fighting on ground
chosen by himself in position forti-
fed to the highest degree. with the
advantage of the railway to bring
achievements, he would succumb to
forces little exceeding his own. To
understand fully the sense of morti-
fcation existing it must be remem-
bered that everyone had been assured
that Liaoyang would at last turn the
tide of Russian disasters, the Japa-
nese surely would be routed and the
immediate rescue of Port Arthur
would follow.
Generals Oku and Nodzu have
crossed the river and started in pur-
suit of the vanishing Russians.
Monday-Kuropatkin's rear guard
has been annihilated by the pursuing
japanese whole army. Marshal
Oyama's armies under Oku and
Nodzu are hanging on to Kuropat-
kin's rear like "grim DEATH" A
terrible foot-and-fighting race is on
between the main Russian army and
the portion of the enemy that is
under the great Kuroki who is en-
deavorlng to execute one of the
greatest flank movements in history.
The town of Yentai. between LAO
yang and MukGen, is the objective
point. If Kuroki's small but rapid
force can reach there before Kuropat-
kin the latter will he stalled until
Oyama can get up.
A dispatch received from General
Kuropatkin himself indicates that
his army and that of Kuroki are
racing for Mukden, and that the
result is in doubt. General Kuro-
patkin says that his retreat is being
conducted in perfect order.
Field Marshal Oyama's whole army
has crossed the Taltse river. Part
of it is pursuing Kuropatkin, aud
the other part, under General
Kuroki, is trying to get to Mukden
ahead of him. A dispatch from
Yentai states that desultory firing
was heard around Mukden, indicat-
ing that at least some of the Japa-
nese were already there.
Other advices indicate that Ku-
roki's early attempts to get in Kuro-
patkin's rear were repulsed, but
another Japanese column appeared
still further north, and then the
Russian COMMANDMENT chief had to
take to flight.
1nesdaq-Kuroki's thanking move
ment has progressed by a succession
of desperate night attacks. He is
now within five miles of the railway
and ten miles north of Liaoyang.
The Russians are holding their posi-
tons tenaciously and making an
unexpectedly strong stand. If the
japanese succeed in pushing home
the attack, the Russians will be COM
pletely cornered.
1t is reported in st. Petersburg
that General Kuropatkin's rear
guard has been almost annihilated
and that his army is in great danger
of being cut off. The bravery of the
Russian rear-guard was never ex-
celled.
"A strong thanking column of Ku-
roki's tired, starving men is pushing
rapidly and heroically north in the
effort to head off the Russians.
Against the column Kuropatkin has
sent out his strongest Cossack divi-
sion, which it is believed, is already
in position to check the Japanese
fiankers.
A dispatch from Mukden saws:
The commissariat and columns of
artillery are arriving here and pro-
ceeding northward. General Kuro-
patkin's army is engaged In an ex-
tensive rear-guard action. The
retreat is being carried out in good
order, despite the terrible condition
of the roads, rendered sodden by rains
which fell yesterday ard today,
which mire the numbering guns and