The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-07-19
LOST OYER 1 THOUSAND
Kuropatkin Admits Severe
Defeat of Force Sent
Against Mo Ten
Pass.
DRIVEN BACK BY KUR0Kl
JAPANESE RETIRE AND THEN
RETURN IN FORCE.


Fall Upon General KastaIinsky's Col
umn which is Only Extricated After
Three Batallions Of Reserves Are
Brought Up-General Keller Finally
Compelled to order Retreat Which,
1t is Claimed, Was Carried out in
Perfect order.
st. Petersburg, July 1S.--The follow
ing dispatch from General Kuropatkin
to the emperor, dated July II, ION oun
eastern 'front.'" was given out tonight:
After the occupation by General Ku-
roki's army of the passes in the Fen
shut mountain chain. our information
concerning his forces and dispositions
were in general inadequate. According
to some reports his army had been re-
irforced, and he had even extended his
forces toward Saimatza. Other reports
stated that displacement of his troops
had been made in the direction Of Ia
Pass and Sui Yen. There were even
indications that Kuroki had transfer
red his headquarters from Tskhakhe-
kan to Touinpu
tOn the strength Of the information
received and on the basis of the recon-
naisances which had been made, the
hypothesis was formed that the prin-
cipal forces of the enemy were concen-
trated around Lianshankwan and that
their advanced guards had been
strengthened in the passes Of Siaokao,
Wafankwan, Sinkia, Lakho and Papau
as well as Sybey pass two and a half
miles north os the road and half the
height of Siaokao pass.
"On July II, in order to determine
the strength of the enemy. it was de-
cided to advance against his position
in the direction OF Lanshankwan.
Lieutenant General Count Keller had
been instructed not to start with the
object Of capturing the pass, but to act
according to the strength of the force
he would find opposed to him.
'sThe left column of this expedition
ary force consisting Of three battal-
ions, was despatched toward Sybey
pass. The center column, commanded
by Major General Kashtalinsky, con-
sisting of fourteen battalions with
twelve guns, was destined to attack
Siaokao pass. the heights surmounted
by the temple and Wafankwan pass.
The right column, one battalion strong,
was occupying points where the roads
leading to Singia and Lakho passes
cross in order to cover the right flank
of General Kashtalinsky's column
The general. reserve was left at Ikhav-
uen and. a portion Of the force occupied
position at that place.
AT 10 p. M, July is, the head of the
column advanced from Ikhavaun. At
II O'clock battalion of the Second reg
irnent dislodged a Japanese outpost at
the point Of the bayonet at the crossing
of the Lakho and the Sikia roads.
The details of this engagement have
not been verified yet, but Its general
course, according to the telegrapfic re-
ports sent in by General Keller was as
505llows:
During the night the Japanese had
evacuated Siaokao pass and the heights
I surmounted by the temple, leaving only
outposts there. At dawn General Kash-
talinskys column occupied these pass
es, driving back the Japanese advance
posts.
AT about $50 on the morning Of
July II the Japanese in considerable
strength and with numerous guns occu-
pied Wafankwan pass and the noun
famous bluffs to the south on the flank
of General Kashtalinsky's column.
From this position and from the crest
cs the mountains to the east of the
heights surmounted by the temple, the
enemy directed very heavy rife and
artillery fire.
General Kashtalinsky advanced to
occupy the bluffs, sending forward at
first one and then three battalions, but
the attempt failed notwithstanding the
support given by the horse mountain
battery as our field guns could not be
brought into action In account of the
nature Of the ground.
Eat about 8 a. m. General Keller. who
was directing the fight around Ikaha-
Vuan, deemed it necessary to lend as
sistance to General Kashtalinsky's coll
umn by bringing up from the general
reserve three battalions to the heights
surmounted by the temple. In order to
maintain the positions we had already
occupied it was necessary to reinforce
the other troops in the fighting line,
but these positions owing to their situ-
alton were untenable.
General Keller found the strength Of
the enemy SO great compared with ours
that he decided not to continue the
fight and not to bring up either the
special or the general reserves, especial
" in view Of the fact that in case of
his untimely taking the offensive it
would be necessary to attack without
support Of the field artillery.
I'm consequence of this General Ke1-
Ter decided about 1O:SO to withdraw his
troops to the positions originally occu-
pied in the Yanzee Pass. The troops
retired slowly, step by step, and in per-
feet order, covered by the fire Of a field
battery which had been brought into
action.
Toward midday an offensive move
ment BY the enemy in the direction OF