The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-10-20
Japanese folding 0ui We'll in Chase
After TheiI Army
BLOODSHED GROWS APPALLING
One Of the Slcodiest Battles IN His.
tory Still Raging South Of Mukden,
the Russian Advance Having Been
Converted Into stubborniy Fought
Retreat-WhoIe Regiments Moved
Down on Both Sides.

Japan in Manchuria continue to be
engaged in q desperate struggle for
! supremacy soutk OF Mukien. On both
sides there have been such losses IN
killed and wounded as mark the con-
test for one of losses in killed and
wounded. Already the losses at Lao
Yang have been approximated and
the indications are that they will be
exceeded, that of the Russians up ID
rocn Of October Il being estimated at
$4,000. The Russian advance has
been converted into stubbornly-
fought retreat. The result, accord
ing to the Russians, Is still to be de-
termined. Reports from the Russian
left wing ere lacking, leaving room
for question if part OF General Kuro.
patkln's army is not in worse extremi.
ty than the centre and right were a.
any stage of the battle On both
sides the soldiers have shown the ut
most tenaclty and bravery and whole
regiments have gone. down before the
fire of the enemy. In official circles
IN st. Petersburg tnere is a 6isposi-
tion to argue that even should Gener-
al Kuropatkin be Obliged to retire
upon Mukden his position will be
quite as favorable as 1t was when the
order to advance was given on Octo-
ber 6: and that on the other hand
the japanese powers of future resis-
tance will have been materially weaE'
ened. There is no news from Port
Arthur.
Gloom in st. Petersburg.
St. Petersburg, BY Cable.-The great
feeling of concern which exists Id CIT
cles in the Russian capital by no meas
equals the foreboding OF coming DIS
aster pervading the general puonc'
which is indulging in the deepest pes,
simism, In the absence OF ofhciai
news. the publec is being fed on the
widest rumors- Of defeat suffered by
General Kuropatkin. The fact that
nc word regarding the battle has been
officially given out only confirms the
nonular fear. The explanation offered
that It was a holiday does not sufnce
to ally the apprehension
General Kuropatkin's report OF the
result of the days operations mas
reached Emperor Nicholas at Tasar.
koe Selo. but it had not been returned
here before the war commission,
which sat only until 9 O'Clock. had ad-
| iourned. The Emperor himself Is rep
resented as being bitterly disappoint-
ed, and spending hours with MS caol.
net studying out, with the help OF
his military aids, the reporcs OF the
battle. The general staff, however, ny
no means despairs. Though ADMIT
| ting that the tide In the last TWO
days has been against General kuro-
patkin. the general staff says the bat
tie Is not yet over, and that In any
event there is no question OF rout.
The depressing feature Of the situ-,
! alton Is that everyone Is willing to be-
Iieye the worst. Thus, reports from
Toxic and elsewhere, stating that the
Japanese are advancing and that the
Russians are falling back are accepted
| with faith based upon the previous
Russian retreat.
Naturally many reports are current
| rs to the genesis OF the forward move
ment. It is freely stated that General
Kuropatkin was forced into taking the
offensive by uressure by the authort-
ties here. This has been officially
denied. and as General Kuropatkin,s
order to advance was gwen over MS
own signature, it seems hkeiy thaI q, ne
! will have to bear all the responslpih-
| ty, whether the situation is OF MS own
making or not.
Friends of General Kuropatkin said
| the present offensive movement was
| inspired from st. Petersburg, as was
doubtless General Stakelberg's move
ment for the relief Of Port Arthur, and
| that IL Kuropatkin's star has set,
| others higher than he are responsible
Al the same time, the supporters OF
General Kuropatkin argue that. what,
ever NAV be the direct outcome OK
the past few days fighting, 1t Is not
likely to be an irretrievable disaster
to the Russian army.
DISPATCHES from the front give a
vivid picture of the desperate cnarac-
| ter of the fighting along the whole
line. The Russian plainsmen have
been again forced to engage in hill
fighting, which Is little ii their lk-
| ing. There have been desperate and
repeated attacks upon almost inaces-
sible positions, which leave no ques-
tion of the resolution and gallantry
of the Russian forces. Guns have been
captured and re-captured In fierce
bo pd to-Iap6 conflicts
The latest word directly from The
field of battle is the Mukden dispatch
| to the Associated Press. in which 1t
IS stated that $1,000 Russians had
been wounded, which. together with
the days casualties, would make the
total probably exceed the figures OF
Lao Yang, and make the fight rank
as one of the bloodiest battles in his
tory.