Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-09-17
JAPANESE ADVANCE.
Russia Hears Oyama Is Try
 ing to Flank Mukden.
THINKS THE REPORT SUSPICIOUS.
Hardly Likely That the Enemy Haa Sufficiently Recovered From the Late Battle to Begin New
 Operations.


 ST. PETERSBURG, Sept. 17.-The war office has heard the report of an apparent Japanese concentration against the Hanks of General Kuropat- kin's army preparatory to an advance toward Mukden. While 1t is not in a. position to absolutely confirm or deny the report, it would surprise the war office should Field Marshal Oyama have been able in such short time to organize his forces for serious ad- vance northward.
 Supplementary details of the battle of Liaoyang show that the First and Third Siberian corps after bravely withstanding the onslaught of six divt- sions of the Japanese army under Gen. erals Oku and Nodzu while holding a position south of Liaoyang received or ders to cross the river on Sept. and join the Tenth corps in advancing against General Kuroki, who was threatening the Russian positions. Meanwhile the defense of the Russian position on the southern bank of the river was intrusted to the Second and Fourth corps, which were given posi- tions around the city. The center of gravity had now been transferred to the right bank of the river. The Sew enteenth, corps, which had been sta tioned there was subjected on Aug. B1 to heavy bombardment by Japa- nese artillery situated north of Sy- kwantun. The tactical key of this po- sition was solitary hill from whence the Japanese could be seen crossing the river at WahkWantun Nine com panies of the Tenth European regiment held this hill, supported on their right by the Bolkhoff regiment, with the Ne zhinsk regiment in reserve. Here oc- cured the most brilliant encounter and the most desperate fighting of the l whole battle. On Sept. l the Japanese concentrated their artillery fire upon this hill and by evening occupied it. l The Nezhinsk regiment was ordered the next day to retake the hill, and after artillery preparation, headed by it's colonel on horseback, the regiment tried to rush the heights. The Japa- nese fire was terrific and moved dowI whole companies, but the Nezhinsks 1 went on, gaining ground inch by incl till finally they reached the top. There there was frightful hand to hane 3 struggle The Japanese were obliged I to fall back, and the Nezhinsk regi ment occupied the hill, which they managed to hold until evening. Then unable longer to withstand the concen trated artillery fire of the Japanese the Nezhinsks had to climb down. 1t terrible fight cost the regiment nor, than half its men and three-fourths o
 its officers The height will hencefortl be known among the Seventeenth corp
 as .'Nezhinsk hill.''
 It was decided on the night of Sept N 8 to abandon Liaoyang. The followinl
 day all the stores were removed iron the forts around the city, from tn Russian settlement and from Lilac
 yang, and the dead were buried an
 gentries gradually withdrawn. A tel
 rife hail of projectiles was falling i the city, especially in the churc square and around the house wher ] General Kuropatkin had been residing The evacuation of the railway sts tion was carried out under heav fire. The railroad men showed th
 most admirable coolness and disc ], pline. There were not enough trains
 carry all the artillery. At the last m' r ment the First Siberian flying artiller , procured an empty truck, upon whic 5 the soldiers loaded their six inch mo : tars by hand and then pushed u
 truck across the river under a dire' k fire of shells just before the brfde 5 was destroyed Reconnaissance oper
 tions were greatly impeded by u r standing crops of Chinese corn, whie }, is fourteen feet in height.
 Z, There were many narrow escap'
 owing to the similarity of the Russia T T uniforms with those of the Japanes o Serious results were prevented, hoy
 ever, by the Russian officers directi1
 that the men must not shoot except {
 specific orders The Japanese, on u Y other hand, destroyed the whole ' their own FortY-firSt regiment by f