The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-03-13
General KurOpatkin Has ES-
capped the Japanese.
FIERCE REAR GUARD FIGHT
Nogi and Kuroki Have Not Cut Rus
sian Line Of Retreat = Casualties
on Both Sides Over
100000.

the field, supplemented by dispatches
from the Associated Press correspond
ents with the army of the Russian
emperor, show that Gen. kuropatkin,
after suffering by far the most severe
defeat Of the war, has succeeded, as
he did after the battle Of Lao Yang,
in extricating the remnants of has army
from position which military experts
"A hours before believed would result
in humiliation or surrender. The re-
treat from Lao Yang has been consid-
cred the most mastery ever executed,
but il is far oyershadowed BY this lat
est feat Of the Russian general, who.
has taken personal command Of the
! troops. After fighting for nearly three
weeks, losing in killed, wounded ana
missing probably third Of his army,
or nearly 100000 men, and fourth 81
his artillery, Kuropatkin gathered what
was left together north of Mukden. and
Is taking them toward Tie pass, through
a rain Of shrapnel, which is being thrown
on them from both right and left.
Aitto AE 0CttliS ~ DttNt UtEtl AHlc 10 &c
compLsh by resorting to the same tac-
ties which saved his army at Lao
Yang.
As early as Thursday he began send
ing his artillery north by rail and road,
that night he destroyed BY fire what
he realized could not be removed, and
Friday morning the retreat was ordered,
strong forces protecting the rear and
TANKS. Even the hospitals, containing
the more seriously wounded, were left
behind SO as not to hamper in any
way the movement Of the army. This
movement began Friday morning. ana
as the japanese forces on the east,
which were to join hands with the west
ern army and cut off the retreat, did
not cross the Fushun Mulxden road UNI
til Saturday morning, the Russians had
a full days start OF their pursuers, and
having no guns or baggage to delay
them, seem to have made good their es-
cape.
II is reported at st. Petersburg that
kuropatkin has lost 800 guns and about
10000 prisoners, while his casualties
amount to the same huge total. It is
estimated that the losses on both sides
are over 100000 men, which win give
the battle Of Mukden rank as one of
the most bloody contests in history
Gen. Kuropatkin reported to St Peters.
bury at 6 Friady night as follows:
"The retreat of the army was very
dangerous and especially trying for those
corps which were some distance from
the Mandarin road The Japanese PEN
etrated far into the mountains in the
direction of Tawan. They threatened
our troops, but, thanks to extraordinary
efforts, our armies are ont of danger
The enemy cannonaded the route of our
retreat from the east and west The
eastern Mandarin road was bombarded
at two points near Tawan and the Phi
river. Our troops are very brave. The
reason the Japanese advanced So easily
from the south is that the Hun river,
which covered our position at Mukden,
was frozen over. Gen. Zerpitskv is
wounded, but remains at the front"
There is still, however, d chance Of
Gen. Kawamura's army taking a hand
in the battle, and should they strike
the Russians at Tie pass or cut their
communications to the northward the
disaster to Gen. Kropatkin's once fine
army viii be complete. The shrapnel
under which the Russians are again re-
treating, was found in the retreat from
Liao Yang not to have very serious
effect, as the army was scattered and
struggling, which undoubtedly holds
good in the present case So If Kawa
mnra fails 0yama, and kuropatkin's
rear guard can hold back the pursuers.
the losses suffered in the battle viii
not be greatly added to in the retreat. /
What part Of his army the Russian
general has saved Is apparently not even
known at the Russian headquarters, as
all dispatches indicate that part Of his
force has been cut of Kanibars seems |
TO have extricated his corps, likewise
but not 50 Lineyiteh The /
Associated Press correspondent refers
to the Japanese separating the list and |
4th Russian corps, and adds that help I
could not be sent them. Their fate
is not recorded, and the inference is
that they either suffered defeat or were
captured. The censor, no doubt, took out |
Of the dispatch what really happened +
to these corps. The first Is Stacked
berg's old corps, which has borne the
brunt Of every battle since Vafangow, I
and the 18th, under Gen. Zaroubaieff, has
also been in the thick Of all the battles.
Rennenkampff's fate Is still ii the bal
anee.
The Japanese report the capture Of
some railway rolling stock This is
the rolling stock of the light
military railway built along the Shakhe
and the road which runs from
he main line along the south bank Of
he Hun river toward the Fushun mines,
md on which Gen. Kuropatkin had his
winter quarters The confidence Of the
japanese IS shown in the statement IS
ued by Field Marshal Oyama to his
rmy early in the week, that they
would be ii Mul<den Friday morning.
Ee was true to his word, for early
hat morning the old Chinese capital
ias in their hands
The Russian government and people
re as determined as ever to continue
le war. The reigning family, through
rand Duke Vladimir, has spoken, and
i'll be backed By the official and mill
,rv elaa4a= while tina fpalinr If fhe