he Russian viewpoint is contained in
the announcement from the Russian Headquarters Staff, made September 14,
1914:
"The army of General Brussilov, against whom the Austrians made their
last desperate onslaught has, on taking the offensive, captured many
guns, prisoners, and artillery parks, the numbers of which are now being
reckoned. General Brussilov testifies that his troops displayed the
highest energy, stanchness, and gallantry. The corps commanders calmly
and resolutely directed their troops and frequently wrested the victory
at critical moments. General Brussilov specially mentions the
distinguished services of General Radko Dmitrieff."
There is no doubt that the engagement here referred to was one of the
most bitterly and desperately contested of the war. But the conflict on
many fields was being conducted on a scale so huge that it loses much of
its importance in a general survey. On the day following the
announcement just quoted, the Grand Duke Nicholas briefly announced that
"the Russians, after occupying Grodek, reached Mocziska, and are now
within one day's march of Przemysl."
While Brussilov's center was moving on to Mocziska, which is about forty
miles west of Lemberg, his left was advancing southwesterly along the
railroad line to Sambor, and on to Chyrow. The latter place, however,
was not taken until September 24, 1914. The fortress of Przemysl was
thus cut off from the south.
When Grodek fell, Brussilov's soldiers had been marching and fighting
without pause for longer than three weeks. The feats of endurance they
had performed were extraordinary but without delay they pursued the
Austrians from Grodek with the same alertness that they had shown in
following them from Halicz.
In the meantime, as we have noted, Rawa-Russka had been taken. Like
Brussilov, Russky was not inclined to give an enemy he had bested any
chance to recuperate, and while Brussilov was pursuing the Austrian
right from Grodek to Chyrow on the south of Przemysl, Russky was
following up his success with equal vigor, driving toward Sieniawa the
shattered forces which had opposed him.
Sieniawa was occupied on September 18, 1914, the same day that Brussilov
took Sambor. Jaroslav was captured by assault on September 21. There was
hard fighting on the way there, around Javorow, fifteen miles east of
Przemysl, where the Russians claimed to have taken 5,000 prisoners and
thirty guns. In such wise was Przemysl cut off on the no
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