Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1904-09-15
.KUR0PATKIN' STORY
Russian General Reports to
Gear on Liaoyang Battle.
GENERAL ORLOFF'S DEFEAT FATAL.
His Failure to Hold sylxwantun
Forced Entire Army's Retreat.
Gums and Baggage Success
fully, Removed.

kin reports to the emperor as follows:
1T is now possible, from the details
of the battles since Aug. %, in which
various army corps participated, to
furnish your majesty the following re-
port of operations:
"On Aug. 26 the Manchurian army
occupied three groups of positions, the
first at Pettsu and Anping on the left
flank; the second at Liandiansan in the
center, and the third at Anshanshan
on the right flank. The same day the
Japanese assumed the offensive along
the whole front. At Liandiansian all
their attacks We're repulsed,, and on the
left we retained our principal position
at Anping. After a desperate battle
the Japanese, however, succeeded in
securing the position at PettsuJ thus
threatening the line of retreat of the
corps along the Tan river. Simultane-
ously turning movement by consid-
cradle forces of Japanese was observ-
ed on the left flank of our position at
Anshanshan.
Taking advantage of our positions
at Liandiansian and Anping in order
to gain time and inf1ict severe losses on
the enemy, l withdrew all the army
corps from advanced positions to Lao
yang.
'In-eonsequence of the mountainous
nature of the country on our front and
the bad condition of the roads toward
the south, the two days march toward
Liaoyang was of the most difficult
kind, and only the devotion Of all the
troops on the east front enabled it to
be carried out in good order. Only
after incredible difficulties was it found
possible to drag all the guns without
exception and all our baggage through
the passes. Some of the guns were
carried through the mountains by in
fantry. Difficult as was the retreat
through the passes, under pressure
from the enemy, the march across the
open country was still more arduous
The left and center columns succeeded
in getting all their artillery and bag
gage to Liaoyang.
1.-THE march of the right column,
which was obliged to cross westward
to the railway, where the country had
suffered most severely from rains, was
especially difficult Considerable forces
i of the, enemy followed the rear guard,
which maintained stubborn resist
Rnce. The guns of one Of the retiring
/ batteries began to sink in the mud.
Every effort was made to save them
lTwenty-four horses were hitched to
/ each piece, companies of infantry as
sisting with ropes The horses ana
men, however, sank SO deep that ii
was necessary for the comrades of the
latter to haul them out. General Rut-
/ kovsky remained so long covering the
extrication of the guns that his force
lost heavily, and the general himself
land Colonel Raben, commanding the
Fourth regiment of east Siberian
sharpshooters, were killed. Notwith-
standing all efforts it was finally neces
sary to abandon the guns.
ION Aug. 20 the army concentrated
at Liaoyang. One corps took position
on the right bank Of the Taitse river,
i while another held the left bank
ION Aug 30 and 81 the japanese at
tackled our advance positions with
great energy but everywhere were re-
/ pulsed with enormous losses There
was desperate fighting on our left flank
and center, accompanied by a number
of counter attacks, resulting In bayonet
/ fighting, and 1 was compelled to re-
i enforce the fighting line with the spe-
cial reserves and the general reserves.
During Aug. 81 it could clearly be
seen that a considerable force of Gen
eral Kurokfs army had crossed to the
4 right bank of the Taitse river. Owing
to attacks on our left on Aug. 30 and
4 81 it was to be supposed that the main
body Of Kuroki's army had been told
| off to turn the left flank of our position
and attack our line of communication.
In consequence resolved to withdraw
the advance troops to the main position
and concentrate large force against
Kuroki and attempt to hurl his army
back upon the Taitse river. Only at
certain points was this carried out sue
cessfuIly.
sat nightfall, undisturbed by the
I Japanese, we commenced the evacua-
ton of our advanced positions, which
already had rendered great service in
weakening the enemy by enormous
losses. Thanks to the sufficient num-
Der of bridges and the manner in
which the roads leading to them had
been laid out, all the troops destined to
take Tic OllGuSlNc were SdICIy- OH C1lG
right bank of the river on the morn
ing of Sept 1. The enemy did not oc-
cupy our abandoned advance positions
until the evening Of Sept. 1, when they
opened an artillery fire upon Liaoyang
No trophies of war fell into the hands
of the enemy.
/ II adopted the following plan of op-
erations: Having crossed to the right
bank of the river, the army had taken
up position between the village of
i Sykwantun and heights near the Yen
tai mines, which 1t was intended to oc-
i cupy with all our detachments, COM
posed of thirteen battalions. Taking
the position near Sykwantun as a
pivot, it was intended that the army
effect a movement to flank the Japa-
nese positions, which extended from
the Taitse river near the village of
Kwantun toward the Yentai collieries.
offensive operations began when all
the troops had taken up their allotted
IL