Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-09-06

received u1spatcn rrom Peterhof, sent
to the emperor Thursday night by Gen.
dated five p. m. Thursday
AS transmitted to the war Office for
publication, the Information is extreme
ly meager and only reveals the truth
in the light of the Interpretation Of
those who are conversant with the stu
alton at Liaoyang. It Is possible that
this is justif1able on strategic grounds.
AS communicated to the press, the dis
patch states that an artillery battle pro-
ceeded till the hour Of sending 1t and
that the Russians were retiring upon
their main positions" that Gen. KuroN
was attacking the Russian left, north
Of the Taitse river, that the railroad sta
ton, which is situated mile north
west Of Liaoyang, had been set on fire
by Japanese shells, that the station had
been transferred across the river to
point on the north bank, that Kuropat-
kin had passed in review the Third
Siberian corps under Gen. Ivanhoff,
which suffered greatly in the earlier
stages of the battle on the east front
and finally that the Russian losses for
two days were 5000 killed or wounded.
May Be Only Partial Withdrawal.
The dispatch as given out, therefore,
does not admit that Gen. Kuropatkin
is withdrawing across the Taitse river
entirely. 1t is possible that owing to
the pressure of the Japanese the Rus
sian army, as stated in the Toxic dis
INT tn ,,ciN 4
greatly hampered. In light Of the
knowledge that the main positions"
of the Russians are on the north bank
of the river the dispatch becomes in
telligible. The artillery fight during the
day makes it evident that screen Of
Russian guns was used to cover the
movement across the river. The guns
on the north bank doubtless were also
employed for this purpose, being placed
SO as to protect the railroad bridge span
ming the Taitse.
The review Of the Third Siberian
CORPS mentioned in the dispatch, prob
ably refers to march past Of the troops
while crossing the river, it being inn
possible to suppose that formal re-
view occurred while the battle was in
progress.
At 4:30 o'clock the war ONCE said It
was entirely without news Of Fridays
fighting, but added that the railroad
between Liaoyang and Mukden was
open. No press dispatches from the
front had arrived up to the same hour.
The suspense in ST. Petersburg is in
tense and the town is filled with all
kinds Of rumors, ranging from COM
plete victory for Gen. Kuropatkin to q
disastrous defeat of the Russians.
How Liaoyang Was Captured.
London, Sept 3.-The news of the
capture of Liaoyang came with unex-
pected suddenness. This is how 1t hap
, pened:
Tuesday and Wednesday Kuropat-
kin held his ground against the terrific
assaults of Modulus army, south Of
Liaoyang. Wednesday afternoon
Kuroki, ON the extreme right, after q
14-hour bombardment, crushed Renne-
Ramps and Mandaritaff's divisions,
swept their remnants out of his path,
and threw two divisions across the
Taitse river, 20 miles east of Liaoyang,
thus turning Kuropatkin's right flank
| Kuropatkin learned of this disaster
early Wednesday evening He immedi-
ately ordered his army to withdraw to
Liaoyang.
The Russian retreat from south Of
Lioayang began at eight o'clock
Wednesday evening Instantly Nodzu
hurled his three divisions at the Rus
sian center. Stackelberg, although
wounded, was compelled to face about
again to resist Modulus impetuous ad.
vance. For four hours, or until mid
night, Stackelberg's and Zaroubaieffs
divisions fought stubbornly to hold
Nodzu in check until the Russian right
and left wings could cross the Taitss
Then Nodzu's artillery FIRE ceased
suddenly, and between midnight ant
dawn stackelberg's army escaped Il
the north.
Il