Omaha daily bee., 1904-10-15
DIRECT NEWS FROM THE FRONT
Report From Russian Army Tells of
Fighting at Noon on
Thursday.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE RUSSIAN
WESTERN ARMY, Oct. 12-(Via Mukden,
Oct. l3, via Peking. Oct. 1.-THE most fierce
and most important fighting that has
taken place since the battle of Lao Yang
reached it's height at noon today, when
after bold attack. which lasted for three
days the Russians began a sagacious re-
trement frcm the positions they held yes
terday, and the Japanese, by strong CEN
tral movement. forced the Russian line
five miles to the north
The battle, which was forecasted in a
dispatch filed by the Associated Press cor
respondent on October IL, reached a stage
of unusual severity on that day along thu
railway and to the westward. eliminating
in the vicinity of Tousanpu, which place
was the correspondents center of observa-
tion
BY the evening of the 18th 600 wounded
had reached the field hospital, situated at
the Siulintsu railway station, ten miles
finn the front.
The battla at this moment was best OBJ.
served from Hung Pass HILL two miles
southeast of Siulntzu. Both the Japanese
and Russian batteries were distinguished
by the clouds of dust which were raised
by the conclusions.
The result of the fight was that mile
VI BlOuiN dlOhS thS liOiitt "SSN Va bhO
railway, was lost. but the Russians re-
gained their ground during the night by
a bayonet attack, without shot having
been fired.
The battle was renewed at dawn today
with terrific effect.
The eastern army evidently is engaged
in continuous small arm firing.
There can be heard the desultory break
ing of shells along the foothills about five
miles from the railroad.
To the westward there is a growing
activity and the smoke from the shells
forms an almost impenetrable haze hiding
the operations of the infantry.
There was an entangled artillery duel in
the vicinity of Tousanpu, to the west
ward, in which during the day one regi-
ment was caught by a cross-fire and
threatene with extinction within a few
minutes,
Tousanpu wavered until noon when the
Japanese made good the occupation, and
Colonel Stackovitch, who had made a mag
nificent stand for four days after more
than twenty of his officers had been put out
of action, fell back before the terrible on
slaught of the Japanese
The japanese proved their ability to
utilize the strong position at the Yental
coal mines, which the Russian advance
guard reported had not been utilized until
October 10. The Russians moving in that
direction were unable to occupy the posi-
ton. owing to the developments of the last
forty-eight hours
At Ii o'clock in the morning the battle
reached a stage of severity three times
greater than that of yesterday, solid masses
of troops filling up the front.
At 2:2O p m, the japanese were occupying
a hill two miles to the south of Hungpas
hill, which they shelled from a battery
which was plainly visible. The results of
this shelling were not important.
At AIS p m. the Russian army made an
orderly and timely withdrawal, followed
by furious rifle fire from the Japanese
The Red Cross surgeons are performing
operations at Siulintzu railway station.
Many of the wounded were loaded on
trains, which moved north during the day.
At sundown the cannonading to the
southwest could be heard continuously
The Russian rear guard was holding its
ground at nightfal.
At $3.50 o'clock this afternoon the fight is
still in progress with terrible bitterness,
and the result yet hangs in the balance.
The losses on both sides are enormous
The Russians have 1900 wounded, hundreds
of whom are streaming back from all di-
rections