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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1904-09-09, Page 6US I FL REIRE T. FAL ACK U'ON' YLUKDEN Japanese Armies '`ushing Hard Upon Their Reefs. Russians Streaming Out Upon the Lan Valley After Fighting Rear- • Guard Actions --The Men Singing as They March Along -- The Japanese Assaults on Port Arthur Not Altogether Success- ful Reported They Have Been Repulsed With Heavy Losses. A St. Petersburg cable—A telegram from Liao Yang, dated Aug. 2S, says: `Tile enemy are concentrating around as. It is impossible to say at the mo- ment whether we will meet them here rr remove our base elsewhere. Our :coops await the expected decisive battle with calm confidence." It is now positively stated that Gen. aouropatkin's predicted retreat toward liukden is in orderly progress, the rear guard meanwhile keeping the Japanese m.eheck. The Government has not issued anything confirming this, and there is tittle to be said as to the actual position. The Russian correspondents send long recounts of the fighting inn the earlier Says of the prolonged struggle, which is ►till proceeding, but add little of con- sequence to the official despatches al- ready cabled. The Russian retreat on Aug. 26 was covered by a charge of Cau- :asian Cossacks, who, it is stated, scat- tered the Japanese, but lost severely in men and horses during the operation. Goa. Kharanoff and Prince Tscherkassy were seriously wounded. The latter com- manded a sotnia. Both sides appear to have lost a large number of officers and both are greatly exhausted by their tre- mendous efforts. The Japanese are so worn out from ceaseless fighting that they were only able to follow the Rus- sians slowly when the latter fell back. The difficulties of removing guns and transport are immense owing to the mud Ind renewed rain. It is stated that the reinforcements which reached Gen. tiouropatkin during the fortnight's lull preceding the re- aewal of the fighting have given him a decided advantage in numbers, notwith- standing the fact that the Japanese also received additions to their numbers. General Kuroki's reinforcements in- cluded four quick -firing batteries, and ueneral Oku's 30,000 men and 140 guns. The troops recently landed at Yinkow by the Japanese amounted to 23,000 in- fantrymen and 5,000 artillery. Their strength at Liao -Yang and in the neigh- borhood is placed at 230,000 men and S40 guns. Both armies are suffering con- siderably from dysentery, otherwise they are singularly free from epidemics. Some correspondents condemn the treatment of the Russian sick and wounded. They say when the luxurious hospital trains are filled the sufferers are put in freight cars without even straw to lie on, and are forced to re- main there for days without even the necessaries of life. The slightly wound- ed are not separated from those who have been severely injured, and those suffering from dysentery lie alongside of both. Many reach the hospitals after a long and exhausting journey in horrible condition. The correspondents assert that small care and a little expense could obviate their sufferings. DROVE A WEDGE. General Kouropatkin Sends Report of Japanese Success. St. Petersburg cable—The following ing report has been recived from Gen. Kouropatkin: "The Japanese began at dawn on Aug. 27 two movements designed to cut off the first and fourth corps, Me first, stationed at Anshanshan, experienced the most difficulty, owing to bad roads, The Japanese, under Gen. Oku, tried to flank this corps from the east. In the meanwhile Gen. Kuroki, abandoning his pressure of Gene. Ivanoff and Herschel - man, drove a wedge between the second and fourth corps, which were stationed west of Liaudiansian. The Russians, greatly impeded by their artillery and commissariat, fought a series of rear guard actions in order to cover the re- treat of their impedimenta to Liao -Yang, in which they were successful. The first corps, which figured at the battle of the Yalu and in the fighting at Motien Pass, again sustained the brunt of the fighting, end suffered the majority of the dosses, including, Gen. Routkovsky and Col, YOU Raaben. "'Leine first, second and fourth corps combined, under the command of Gen. Zaroubaieff, and the tenth, seventeenth and third corps, tinder Gen. Ivanoff, forming the eastern contingent, suc- ceeded. in effecting a concentration at Liao -Yang witiloilt farther loss, The Whole six corps, of which two are European troops, have now formed a semi -circle within. a radius of six or eight miles of Liao -Yang.' Clea. Kouropatkin has not far short of 170,000 men, PILLS ENTIRE PLAIN. Orderly Retreat of the Russian A.fn1i From Anping: Ilsiatonn (ele; to miees Gast 'of r'aiao 'Yang) cable stays—.rhe struggle before illipMeb. 113M /114. ,:.a nP+arnrfh» rnnP,nwnnh.yl upon the Liao Lang plain, after fight- ing a rear -guard action for nearly ten miles from Anping, bringing its wound- ed and burying its dead on the way. Six guns are reported to have been lost, but a number of Japanese were captured, showing signs of great fatigue and hardship. The enormous army, the last of which passed out on the Lan Valley at 5 o'clock this after- noon, seems to fill the entire plain from the foothills to the ancient walls, and is disposed in an orderly manner through the vast fields of Chinese corn, the soldiers singing as they went into camp, despite their unbroken series of reverses, while the baggage and trans- port trains, caught in the muddy rivu- lets, attracted the cheery assistance of everybody. Nothing apparently affects the heartiness of the hien in the ranks. The line of wounded amen, which reached the great east gate this evening, passed silently through the streets as deserted as the aisles of the catacombs. The litter bearers. witlf their solitary lanterns, presented an impressive spec- tacle, awing the Chinese, who to -day for the first time realized the immin- ence of a great battle in their midst. The above despatch was filed this even- ing on the ground above which the deci- sive battle of this campaign of the war between Russia and Japan will appar- ently be fought in the immediate future. Hsiatun is a small town or village situ- ated where the small River Lan empties into the larger Tairsei River. A PROTRACTED BATTLE. The Struggle Before Liao Yang May Last for Days. A London cable—The struggle before Liao Yang is still going on, and such news as is available indicates that it may yet last for several days. The latest information here is contained in a despatch from St. Petersburg that Gen. Kouropatkin's retreat to Mukden is in orderly progress, and a brief telegram from Liao Yang, stating that the Rus- sian army has completed its retirement to Liao Yang, where a great battle is imminent. Japan has issued nothing officially, being silent even concerning her undoubted successes at Anping and Anshanshan. There are again rumors that the Japanese bave cut Gen. Kouro- patkin's communications north of Liao Yang, but they cannot be confirmed. RUSSIANS MYSTIFIED. The Japanese Tactics Have Quite Bewol- dered Kouropatkin's Staff. London cable says—According to at de- spatch to the Daily Mail from Kou- pantze, Russian staff officers confess themselves completely in the dark as to the meaning of the Japanese movements, and that consequently they have no de- finite plan. There is no doubt, says the correspondent, that the Russian army is now completely at the mercy of the Japanese whenever they choose to attack. The Japanese are reported to be adopting a new method of night at- tack. They concentrate searchlights on the points attacked, thus preventing the garrison from seeing anything. PORT ARTHUR. The Japanese are Still Hammering Away at the Fortress. Chefoo cable —Severe fighting was renewed at Port Arthur on Saturday, and becanne general yesterday. Firing was also heard at sea. Chinese who left Port Arthur on Saturday say' Fort No. 5 hes changed hands four tines and now is empty of troops, the artillery making it impossible for either side to occupy it. The Japanese are employing thou- sands of Chinese coolies in building of trenches, throwing up earthworks, and changing the positions of the guns. The Chinese say these coolies were hired at Chefoo. Refugees say they saw a Japanese torpedo destroyer sink two loaded junks off Liaotishan. A Russian who has arrived here from Pott Arthur describes the arrangements of the fortifications, resembling a chess board, on which every fort has the mov- ing power of the veen :fl respect to the zozne s eyed by ,ifs artillery, Information received here confirms the belief that the great Japanese assault upon Port ,Arthur which began Aug. 22, was by na means as successful as'antici- pated, Although the Japanese succeed- ed in prEshing their lines forward, they are unable to occupy the positions from 'vatith they drove the Russians. They sue-- vended ue-needed only in weakening the Russian lines. The report that the Japanese forces before Port Arthur have received heavy reinforcements via 1)alny has been confirmed. The steamer Chinches. which has ar- eseen ,Mara irnm ''erns (`.1 an, . tAneirta that there was heavy fighting at Port Arthur from 9 o'clock last night until 2a.m.. ATTACK FAILED. The Japanese Were Repulsed in Their Assault on Friday, Paris cable says—A despatch to the Echo cle Paris from St. Petersburg says that after 'the capture of Mount Sis- chau the Japanese assaulted Port Arthur on Friday and were repulsed again. The Russian artillery severely pounded the Japanese, who sustained enormous losses. A St. Petersburg despatch to the same paper states that it is admitted at Russian military headquarters that the Japanese have occupied the Outglavo Heights and Itsehan Forts. The Japanese are favorably situated for attacking pur- pose, but it is difficult for theca to bring up siege guns, as the positions they have won are dominated by the Russian guns on other positions. Nevertheless, the anxiety in St. Petersburg is increasing. ECOUROPATgIN WITHDRAWS To Save His Communications From Be- ing Cut Off by Japs. A St. Petersburg cable, 12.50 p. m. says Gen. Kouropatkin since yesterday morn- ing has been drawing in all his forces from his eastern and southern fronts to- ward Liao Yang, Anping, Tsegow, Lien- diausian and Anshanshan, constituting the main positions of the outer defence line of Liao _.ung, have been abandoned. The heaviest fighting occurred on the extreme left, where the Japanese ad- vanced to the assault again and again with bayonets. The positions at Tsegow and Anping were meld by the 10th Euro- pean corps. The attacks were delivered with fanatical bravery. The Russians lost a large proportion of officers, ten guns and from L500 to 2,000 men, but the Russians had been generally success- ful in beating off the assaults all along the long line, and the Russians declare that the order to retire came as a sur- prise, just when they were expecting orders for a general advance. This is considered to be proof that Gen. Kouro- patkin, finding his main position men- aced on the flank and anticipating dif- ficulties in withdrawing owing to the condition of the roads, which have sud- denly been transformed into mud bogs by the rain, considered that a retreat was imperative. The retirement from the east front was greatly impeded by the conversion of the Lan River into a mountain torrent, and this probably also accounts for the failure of the Japanese to follow up the retiring Russians. The Japanese column moving up the Liao River and threatening Gen. Kouro- patkin from the west, is regarded as be- ing extremely dangerous, and General Kuroki's extreme right seems also to be working around General Hershelmann's position at Anping, and to be moving toward Mukden. The strength of the enveloping Japanese armies may be judg- ed udoed from the fact that General -Oku who is coning up from the south is officially reported to have 75.000 nen. Whether Gen. Kouropatkin intends to accept bat- tle at Liao Yang may not be known po- sitively, for several days, but the belief several titans indicated in these des- patches prevails here that the will with- draw northward, having found that he is not strong enough to cope with the Japanese and realizing that Liao Yang is no Ionger tenable on account of the Japanese threats at his west rear. His retirement, undoubtedly will cause keen public disappointment, as it will gener- ally be believed that he at last has suf- ficient reinforcements to accept a de- cisive engagement, and by the military critics his retreat is interpreted to mean a great prolongation of the war. The report that Gen. Kurylki had sue- coeded in cutting the railroad south of Mukden is not confirmed by the tele- graph department, where it is said that no reports have been received of an in- terruption, of communications, Of course, it is realized here that if the rail- road north of Liao Yang, is cut, the po- sition of the Russian army would be rendered serious, if not desperate, atit would probably compel Gen. Kouropat- kin to accept an engagement against his will. The rain, .which has again been falling in Manchuria, will probably serve the Russians much more than the Japanese, as their retirement so soon as they reach the railroad will not be impeded, where- as it is likely to be almost sure to stop the forward movement. EOUROPATKIN RETIRES. Anshanshan Has Been Abandoned by the Russians. Liao Yang cable says — The Rusian forces have been disappointed by another unexpected withdrawal. The whole east- ern division and the troops on the An- shanshan position have been ordered to fall back to positions nearer Liao -Yang, just as the soldiers were expecting an- other advance. The Japanese are not fol- lowing. The advance from the south is apparently being pushed, as sounds of artillery fire from that direction are be- coming plainer. The Chinese at Liao -Yang are bringing out women and children, which they usually do when expecting a Japanese advance. The Russians had sustained a hot ar- tillery fight all of Aug. 26 on the east- ern front, but held all their positions. The understanding was that the Rus- sians would concentrate heavily in the morning for an attack of the Japanese in that direction, and the surprise was greater therefore at the order to retire. The explanation is given that the 10th corps was confronted by a greatly super- ior force of Japanese. The Russians fought bravely and lost an immense number of officers. .Apparently the whole mountain divi- sion, as well as the eastern troops, re- tired for strategic reasons. The mud almost paralyzed the trans- port service and made the movement of guns even more difficult. Though the Japanese witnessed the slow retirement of the eastern division they made no attempt to follow, being apparently exhausted by the duel of Aug. 24 and Aug. 25, and the desperate and unsuccessful all -day attack of Aug. 26. The Japanese succeeded in command- ing Kaofengshik from Paoshankan, where their advance began 'first on Aug. 23 and also from their position at Liang- chikshan on the east, in such a avay as to force the Russian centre and right flank, compelling the evacuation of An- shanshan. The Japanese south front therefore is several miles nearer Liao - Yang. At 3.30 o'clock yesterday Japanese shells from a concealed battery began falling in a road leading to Liao -Yang, thus threatening to sever. communica- tion to the west. The Russians still con- trolled the road to the north. The Jap- anese fire ceased in the evening. but commenced this morning upon the Kao- fengshik position, and as the Russians did not reply the Japanese apparently suspended 'their operations to reconnoi- tre, while the Russians fell back to a more favorable position. The gradual withdrawal of the Rus- sians before the Japanese advance the Russians consider as increasing the se- curity of their position, as it is freely acknowledged that the Japanese are able to beat then in detail in the mauntains, The Russians generally praise the Japan- ese ability and valor. FOUGHT HAND TO HAND. Gen. Sakharoff Sends a Report of Fri- day's Battle. St. Petersburg cable — General Sak- haroff telegraphs under date of Aug. 20 as follows: "The Russian losses on Thursday were about one hundred killed and wounded. The opposing forces passed 0A1 e fru. -- e' ;• ►11i, 1 A\ \N\ k1T wolf ,rte . L1 L A OT t 0-111.J-1 I1 Still %3 PORT ARTHUR fir +moi• l •rh i uSSiAN rORTS '`°` JAPANESE LIMESt � ilk 1�A l LfF OA D. -4.-I44 0Al7S The location of the belt of guns that the Japanese have established about Port Arthur is indicated in this map. Commanding heights that the invaders recently have occupied—including, in the north and west, Sushiyen and Lang Mountain; in the' southwest the Laoti Huls and White Wolf Hill, and in the east Takushan also tan be discerned. On Wolf Hill, a little to the northeast of •the fortress, there are said to be xog cannon belching forth death and destruction i' • the city. In the triangle between Wolf Hill, the railway and Port Arthur the country is comparatively level, and it is believed that it is from this direc- t Han the final acnulf will be n ar'la the night quietly, three to five kilo- metres separating them. "At dawn on Aug. 26 the Japanese assunned the offensive on the entire Russian front. The batteries opened at 5.30 o'clock, and half an hour later trier cannonading had spread along the en- tire southeastern front. Two Japanese battalions advanced on the right flank, but by 7 o'clock a portion of these had been repulsed. "At 11 o'clock the Russian batteries silenced a Japanese 24 -gun battery, which had been placed at Tunsinpu. The gunners fled after unsuccessfully at- tempting to remove the guns. At 1 o'clock the Japanese continued to ad- vance on Kofuntsa and considerable forces were seen in the neighborhood of Laodintan. All the attacks were re- pulsed, and the Russian troops pressed the Japanese and drove them into the valley of the Nohingou. The Russian losses were 300 killed and wounded. "Before dawn the Japanese also con- centrated one and a half divisions against the Russian advanced guards at Anshanshan, from which the Rus- sians were forced to retire, losing 150 men. The Japanese at dawn likewise advanced on the Russian right flank, The Russians retired from the front positions, and local conditions being un- favorable, the artillery was moved to the main position. Latest Official Report. "The fighting was of the most deter- mined character, bayonets being freely used. The total Russian losses were about one thousand. Heavy rains are prevailing at Lino Yang, and the rivers are rising rapidly." Gen, Kouropatkin telegraphs that the exact losses in the fighting reported by Gen. Sakharoff were 1,350. Mlle general staff has received the following additional telegram , from Lieut. -Gen. Sakharoff, dated Aug. 2th: Our advance guard on the southern front yesterday retired slowly toward the fortified position at Anshanshan. The Japanese artillery cannonaded our positions at different points. Our heavy fire eventually compelled the en- emy to move their vast camp from Fai- maina to Baissiaza. At (1 o'clock in the evening there was a lull in the fir- ing. The ho.test fighting occurred on the left flank on the south front,. where our losses amounted to 200. During the night our advance guards retired to the principal position. Five divisions of the enemy took the offensive against our south front. Our troops repelled towards the southeast all at tacks, while our troops on the right to- wards evening drove the Japanese back on Lounsinpu. "Our losses on the southeast front were about 400. Our detachment on the east yesterday had a desperate fight against considerable forces of the enemy. On the right flank our infan- try, though unsupported by artillery, and though the Japanese were at all points superior numerically, repulsed the attacks begun during the night by the enemy on the advanced positions of Tsegow and Anping, This affair cul- minated in sharp bayonet fighting, and some of our regimental officers re- ceived sword, bayonet and revolver wounds. "After desperate fighting on the ad= vanced positions of Tsegow and Anping our troops retired on the main position supported by artillery. The Tampoff Reniment, on t. left flank at Tsegow, defended an advanced position from 1 o'clock in the morning until 4 o'c:oek in the afternoon, repelling all the enemy's attacks at the point of the bayonet. There were four counter at- tacks. "A turning movement by the enemy against the left flank of the Tsegow position and the enfilading fire of their batteries at Khaoulo Heights forced the Tamboff Regiment to retire, and the retreat was effected in good order. Six guns were abandoned, but they were rendered useless. The Japanese attacked like fanatics, and their losses must have been great. A wounded Japanese officer, who was taken pris- oner, escaped observation after his wound was dressed, and killed himself by dashing his head against the stones. "Ourt coops captured many rifles and articles of equipment. Our losses on this front nave not been definitely as- certained, but they exceed 1,500 killed or wounded. Notwithstanding the Tong and desperate fighting and the conse- quent fatigue, the spirit of our troops was as alert as ever, and in the dark- ness of night ,with rain falling heav- ily and transforming the ground into liquid nod, they executed the neces- sary movements, headed by their bands, in perfect order. On Aug. 27 the enemy had not assumed any defensive movement at any point along the whole front, and our troops retired gradually to new positions. At about 2 o'clock in the afternoon it was discovered that the Japanese were moving on Laempine." THIBET TREATY NOT SIGNED. The British Are Unable to Make Any' Progress With It. London, Sept. 5.—The approach of winter is beginning to cause anxiety as to the position of the British mission at Lhassa. The Dalai Lama, whose whereabouts are unknown, bat who is variously +reported :to be at a monastery tight marches distant, or fleeing to Mon- golia, makes no sign. Beyond agreeing to one clause out of the nine in the Brit- ish demand, which provides for the relief of a couple of obscure Sikkinese prison- ers, the Thibetans have done nothing. The lay population seems friendly enough, but the Lamas are evidently bitterly hostile, as was shown by the at- tack orf one of them on. two British offi- cers, which resulted in the confinement of the rest•to their quarters. The Thibet ass do net seein to have any plan beyond passive resistanee,whieli is a• parently in- superable. The result is talk in England of storming the Palace mnon.aster; .,