Show MOVE ON JAP moes RUSSIANS DECIDE TAKE THE OFFENSIVE general kuropatkin drives mikado s men back in a series of heavy skirmishes at general kuropatkin s order an bouncing noun cing determination to take the offensive Is supplemented by the news received in st petersburg that an offensive movement h s already been begun and that the japanese lire has been broken at the japanese occupied a front of about fifty two miles stretching from on the east through yen tai and across the railroad to the banks of the hun river on the west the russian forces had begun moving south in close touch with the japan ese advance since october 4 the japanese outposts were driven back in a series of skirmishes and on october G the russians re occupied the station of fifteen miles south of mukden the railway batta lion restoring the bridge across the river the next day in order to facilitate the advance meanwhile general s cossacks pushed southwestward as far as the cental mines defeating the japanese in a series of warm sl ir the most important action how ever occurred on the japanese right at here the japanese held a strong and important position but it seems they made the Inex ble omission of fortifying the corn manding hill which was the key to the whole situation A portion of general kuropatkin s force made a strong attack on and taking a leaf out of the japanese book occupied the hill from the east and flanked the japanese out of the town causing a serious loss in a rear guard fight the hesslan casualties are reported to have been inconsiderable while these operations are pro gressing south of mukden it Is re ported that two japan se divisions un der general are marching west up the liao river and are now twenty two miles south of general kuroki is expected to make a similar move eastward east waid |