New York Times Current History: The European War, Vol 2, No. 2, May, 1915 | Page 6

always be at least four times as great as the garrison, represent not less
than 100,000 men. From all the information lately received from both
Russian and neutral sources, the position of the Austro-German armies
in the Carpathians has become distinctly critical. The reinforcements
for the gallant troops of General Brusiloff, General Radko Dmitrieff,
and other commanders are bound to exercise an enormous influence on
the future course of the campaign in the Carpathians.
All honor and credit are given by the Russians to the garrison of
Przemysl and General Kusmanek. Russian officers ever had the highest
opinion of the personality of the commandant. I heard from those who
fought under General Radko Dmitrieff in the early stages of the
Galician campaign that when our troops, after sweeping away the
resistance at Lwow and Jaroslau, loudly knocked at the doors of the
fortress of Przemysl, they met with a stern rebuff. In reply to the
summons of the Russians to surrender the keys the commandant wrote
a curt and dignified note remarking that he considered it beyond his
own dignity or the dignity of the Russian General to discuss the
surrender of the fortress before it had exhausted all its powers of
resistance. During the second invasion of Poland by the Austro-German
armies the enemy's lines swept up to and just beyond Przemysl,
interrupting the investment of the fortress. The wave of the Austrian
invasion began to subside at the end of the first week in November.
Only then could we begin the siege of the mighty fortress, which
proved successful after the lapse of four months.
The first Russian attempt to storm Przemysl without previous
bombardment, which followed immediately upon the commandant's
refusal to surrender, resulted in very great loss of life to no purpose.
Thereafter it was decided to abstain from further attempts to take the
fortress until our siege guns could be placed and a preliminary
bombardment could sufficiently facilitate the task of the besiegers.
Meanwhile, although the fortress and town were duly invested, our
lines were somewhat remote from the outlying forts, and the peasants
of adjacent villages were, it is said, able to pass freely to and from the

town of Przemysl--a fact which would enable the inhabitants to obtain
supplies. From all accounts neither the garrison nor the inhabitants
were reduced to very great straits for food. The announcement made at
the time of the first investment of the fortress that provisions and
supplies would easily last till May was, however, obviously
exaggerated.
I understand that heavy siege guns were ready to be conveyed to
Przemysl at the end of January, but that the Russian military authorities
decided to postpone their departure in view of the determined attempts
made by the Austro-German forces to pierce the Russian lines in the
Carpathians in order to relieve the fortress, which, if successful, might
have endangered the safety of the siege material. Owing to this fact the
bombardment of Przemysl began only about a fortnight ago, when the
Austro-German offensive had so far weakened as to satisfy the Russian
authorities that there was no further danger from this quarter.
The concluding stages of the siege have been related in the dispatches
from the Field Headquarters during the past week. The capture of the
dominating heights in the eastern sector followed close upon the first
bombardment. The final desperate sortie led by General Kusmanek at
the head of the Twenty-third Division of the Honved precipitated the
end. The remnants of the garrison were unable to man the works
extending to a thirty-mile periphery.
The loss of the western approaches left General Kusmanek no
alternative but to surrender. He had exhausted his ammunition and used
up his effectives. His messages for help were either intercepted or
unanswered. The assailants broke down the last resistance. The most
important strategical point in the whole of Galicia is now in Russian
hands.
TE DEUM AT HEADQUARTERS.
PETROGRAD, March 22.
_The following official communiqué was issued from the Main
Headquarters this morning:_
The fortress of Przemysl has surrendered to our troops.
At the Headquarters of the Commander in Chief a Te Deum of
thanksgiving was celebrated in the presence of the Czar, the Grand
Duke Nicholas, Commander in Chief, and all the staff.
_The following communiqué from the Great Headquarters is issued

here today:_
Northern Front.--From the Niemen to the Vistula and on the left bank
of the latter river there has been no important change. Our troops
advancing from Tauroggen captured, after a struggle, Laugszargen,
(near the frontier of East Prussia,) where they took prisoners and seized
an ammunition depot and engineers' stores.
The Carpathians.--There has been furious fighting on the roads to
Bartfeld (in Hungary) in the valleys of the Ondawa and Laborcz.
Near the Lupkow Pass and on the left bank of