Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1904-10-21
RUSSIANS TURN
TABLES ON JAPS
Fortune OF War Seems to
incline to Kuro-
patkin.
GAINS A SLIGHT ADVANTAGE
asa Center Japanese Interposa
Heroic Resistance and Trenches
Are Found Filled With Their Dead

Mukden, Oct. 1S.-The Russian
forces at Il o'clock yesterday forenoon
penetrated the Japanese center and
it is reported, captured eleven or
thirteen guns and $50 Prisoners. At
another point during the day the ST.
berian regiment took twentyfour
guns.
The Russian operations yesterday
were quite successful. The Japanese
after terrifcally stubborn resist
ance were compelled to retire along
their whole line, losing heavily. All
the trenches carried by the Russians
were filed with the Japanese dead.
In one not very large trench there
were counted 600 corpses of Japan
csc. In spite of their losses the Jap
anese were undaunted. They have
brought up siege guns and have left
no stone unturned to retain the mas
terry of the situation. Every step the
Russians have pushed forward has
been in the face of superb resist.
ance that has cost the Russians dear
The japanese seem to he willing to
fight until they are annihilated.
Today will be the tenth day of the
battle. ao
st. Petersburg, Oct. 1S.--The news
from the front tonight is more reas-
surfing, from the Russian standpoint.
The situation is still regarded as be-
ing critical, but General Kuropatkin
is apparently holding the japanese
firmly on his center and right wing,
even having rccrossed the Shakhe
rivnr. and uyb:1n fh1ro oy.n nf
an extensive japanese thanking move.
ment both on the east and. on the
west, there is no evidence that they
have actually occurred.
General Kuropatkin's left wing has
been heard from. The. Associated
Press has the first connected report
of the battle in front ofoTuman and
Saitchoun passes. resulting in the final
withdrawal Of the strong Russian
column which had been sent to turn
the Japanese right, though General
Mistchenko seems to have actually
penetrated considerable distance in
side the Japanese line. The report OF
the operations of the Russian left
wing is still three days old and since
that time no news has been received
from this column. The situation at
this date may be described as fol-
lows:
General Kuroratkin has slightly
advanced his center, reoccupying
Shakhe. sonth Of the Shakhe river.
Directly behind him, at distance of
nine miles. lies the Hun river. and
across the bridges SPANNING this
stream the Russians must retire in
case they retreat on Mukden. General
Kuropatkin must continue to firmly
hold his center and reach the flank in
order TO prevent the japanese getting
possession Of the Hun river bridges,
Thus he will cover the withdrawal Of
his apparently beaten west wing.
There is still considerable uncertainty
as to the disposition of this left col
umn. Certainly it has not returned to
Mukden; whether it is again advanc.
ing after it's first withdrawal is rot
known.
TT is no longer question of Rus
sian Sedan. though all hope OF relicv.
ing Port Arthur must apparently be
abandoned. Little hone is expressed
that Kuropatkin will be able to con-
TIME to advance.
''The four days fight of the eastern
column was Of the same desperate
character that mor'1ed the operations
of the center and right wing. A heavy
Russian column under such leaders as
Ivonhoff. Renr~ ,kaampff Gaarngross
and kondratovitch REL eatedlv as
saulted the strongly entrenched Jan
anese posit ons on heights commanding
the passes. The assaults were large
ly night work. The cannonade was so
furious that it. WIS impossible to ad
vance in the light of day. Finally on
October 49, when the passes had beer
actually occupied came the order to
withdraw. probably owing to criti-
cal position at other parts Of the
front. Here the story Of the opera
tons of the eastern wing of the Rus
sian army ends