The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-15
RUSSIAN REPORT ON RETREAT.
EUROPATKIN TELLS or MANY
DAYS OF DISASTER.
u,, Army Pushed steadily Back While
Men and Omcers Feli-vacated Lao
yang to Check kuroki-That Failing,
lie retired on Mukden In Good Order.

~. Ret,red on Mukden In Good Order.
s,,,,oi Ccbl, Despatch TO THE SUM-
CT PETERSBURG, Sept. IA long de-
match has been received from zen huro-
so,Lin giving a detailed report OF the
nneratons from Aug. 20 to Sept. 7. me
pnssian commander -in-chief begins by
swing the positions of his forces on Aug
"a He records the Japanese turning move
,nents. compelling his withdrawal from
Anshanchan and Anping upon lhaoyans'
Then he says:
s1n consequence of the mountainous
nature Of the country on our front ana the
tad condition OF the roads toward our
ssuth front the two days march toward
Yisoyang was most difficult Only the de-
vetion Of the troops on the east front enapleo
4 10 be carried out in good order.
sOnlv after incredible difficulties WAS
1, nossble to drag all our guns. without
exception, and all the baggage through the
nasses. Some Of the guns we're carried
through the mountains by the infantry
DIFFICULT as the retreat through the
masses under the pressure OF the enemy
bad been. the march across the open country
was still more arduous. The left and centre
columns. however, succeeded in getting
all their artillery and baggage to Liaoyang'
Considerable forces OF the enemy fo'-
lowed our rear guard, which made stun
horn resistance The guns OF one battery
stuck in the marshy ground and began 10
sink in the mud. Every effort was made
TO save the twenty-four horses hitched TO
each piece, while companies OF infantry
with ropes. assisted The horses ana men,
however. sank in the soft ground. Many
4 I.aI
comrades
GENERAL, RUTKovsKY KILLED.
mia ior Gen Rutkovsky, of the rear
guard, remained so long in order to cover
he work of extricating the guns that his
force suffered heavy losses. The General
himself, and Col. Raaben, commanding the
Fourth Siberian Sharpshooters, were killed.
DESPITE all the efforts of the troops and the
great sacrifices they had made, 1t " as finally
necessary to abandon the guns, which mad
sunk az far as the tops OF the wheels.
Gen. Kuropatkin then relates details OF
the fighting on Aug. 20. 80 and 81, IN which
he saws the Japanese attacked with great
energy. compelling the special Russian re-
serves and part Of the general reserve 10
reinforce the fighting line. The Japanese
we're everywhere repulsed with enormous
loss :.
AIN the course of Aug. 81, however, 1t
became clear that n considerable part OF
Gen. Kurokis army had crossed to the
right bank of the Taitse River with the
apparent object of turning the RUSSIAN
left and threatening the communications.
t. therefore, says Gen. Kuropatkin
sresolved to withdraw our troops from
the advanced to our main position, and to
concentrate large force against Gen
Kuroki and attempt to hurl his army back
ACROSS the Taitse Thanks to sufficient
number of bridges and the manner in which
the roads leading to them had been laie
out. all the troops destined to take the
offensive were safely on the right bank o.
the river by the morning of Sept. I, despit'
the darkness Of the night.
.The enemy did not occupy the advanced
positions abandoned by us until towaro
the evening Of Sept. 1, when they opened
with artillery on Liaoyang. No trophies
Of war fell into the hands Of the enemy.
-The troops having crossed to the rig hi
bank the army was to take positions between
the village Of Sikwantun and the heights
near the Yentai coal mines, which we're Il
have been occupied by Gen. Orloff's detach
ment, composed Of thirteen battalions
Taking a position near Sikwantun as
pivot, the army was to have effected
movement to the right to flank the Japanes
positions. which extended from the Taitse
near the village of Kwantun, toward tn
Eentai collieries
OFFENSIVE AGAINST KURoKI.
offensive operations began on Sept.
when all the troops had taken their allotted
positions. On the night of Sept. tn
commander Of the corps on the right fanl
sent a despatch stating that the Japanes
having taken the offensive, had occupied
the district northwest of Sikwantun,
position Of great Importance to us.
After having been forced to retire tn
Russian regiment holding the district wa
Obliged to change its plans for the purpos
Of retaking the lost ground on the following
day.
1T was not until the evening Of Sept.
that the hilly country around Sikwantul
and the village itself were in our hands
An assault on the heights northeast of Six
<antun, from which our troops had beel
driven the previous night. began at 8 o clocl
In the evening.
AT first our attacks did not succeed
but the fight continued with unabate'
vigor after dark. We repeatedly gaine'
possession of the heights, but were finall
compelled to withdraw temporarily. man
OF our detachments being mixed and Il
such state of disorder that the unity q
the command was very difficult. TIL
leaders of individual detachments. how
ever, continued the attack time after time
At last we succeeded in occupying tn
desired positions, thereby attaining tn
object of the operations on our right flank
ARTILLERY DUEL NEAR THE MINES.
'On our left flank, in the vicinity OF tn
mines, on Sept. 2, Gen. Orlof's detachmen
occupied the heights south Of the mines
holding very strong position facing soutf
He opened with two batteries and engage
the enemy, who were posted several verst
to the south, in an artillery duel. Ger
Oroff's right flank was then six versts dis
tant from the left flank and the rest of tn
army.
In order to aid our troops holding pos
tons near Sikwantun. Gen. Orion sen
part Of his force from the hills and attacke
the enemy in the direction of the old sit
OF Sikwantun. This movement was carrie
in ,,;l Gall Nm ,af Will