The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-05-13
RUSSIANS ADMIT ALL.
Acknowledge Officially That They Were
Thoroughly and Disastrously De.


ST. Petersburg, May 5.-The emperor
has received an official dispatch from
General Kuropatkin forwarding a dis
patch from General SaSSulitCh COM
manding the Russian forces which have
been engaged with the Japanese ad-
vance from the Yalu. 1t is stated that
at noon Sunday he describes how he
ordered the Russian forces at Antung
and l<iulien Cheng to fall back along
the main road toward Feng Wang
Cheng. This movement was protected
from a threatened flank attack by men
and guns stationed at Petietinsky, q
mile north Of Kulien Cheng, on the
LitZaVena river. Here the fighting was
protracted and severe, and the Rus
slams lost their artillery and horses, be-
ing obliged to abandon. according to
the text, "a few" guns. General Sas-
sulitch says:
although we were unable to hold
our positions here we inflicted heavy
losses on the enemy
Russian Losses Suppressed.
The figures on the Russian losses, as
given from Japanese sources in dis
patches from abroad, are carefully
eliminated by the censors here. Until
Sassultch's official advices arrive, the
general staff is inclined to believe Sas-
sulitch, who was under orders to with
the enemy as much as possible, allowed
the fight TO mature beyond his lpten-
tons, being compelled to sustain heavy
losses along the LitEavena river in Or
der to extr!cate the retreating columns
from Antung and Iiulien Cheng.
The fighting at Chingow was exceed
ingly severe and stubborn. The Japa-
nese took up a position on both TANKS
and after Chingow had been shelled
close TO
hand to hand work being reported.
Many Of the Russian soldiers were in
the fever of combat. The Russians re-
tired at the command Of their officers
According to the general staff only
about 5000 Russians were actually en-
gagged at kiulien Cheng, and along
the Litzavena were two regiments OF
Siberian rifiemen of 5000 men each.
General Mistchenke, commander of the
eastern Cossack brigade, had 1,5OO Cos
sacks protecting the Russian right
flank lower down the Yalu and also
brigade of artillery and four batteries
of eight guns each.
General kartsof with 1.500 Cossacks
was higher up the Yalu guarding the
road at Pusikhe, which leads direct to
Mukden, in order to prevent column
of the enemy using this for the purpose
of outtlanking the position at Feng
Wang Cheng.
The silence OF the authorities here
regarding the later details Of the fight
Ing on the Ynlu Is interpreted omin-
ously, and there Is q consequent preva-
lence of all sorts Of irresponsible ru-
mors regarding the magnitude Of the
Russian losses, some figures going as
high as 5000 These manifestly are gross
exaggerations.
The absence Of official information
Is explained by the general staff by the
fact that a few Japanese have sue
| ceeded in getting in the rear Of the
Russian position, cutting the wires be-
tween Tai San Cheng and Feng Wang
Cheng. The losses are not believed to
| exceed a few hundred and some guns
The latter, while protecting the retreat
of the Russian forces from Antung to
K1ulien Cheng. had to be abandoned
owing to the loss Of the horses. The
breech locks, however, We're carried
| away SO the guns will be Of no service
to the enemy.
According to the latest information
General Sassulitch is retiring In good
order along the main road, and the
japanese are not following him. De-
tails are expected as soon as General
Sassulitch Is again in communication
IN the meantime the public remains In
the dark. The war bulletin boards are
pare and not single press dispatch
mas come through from the front.