being made by the Russians
at Warsaw, as troops from Central Russia could be moved to that
threatened district by the available railroads, much more rapidly than
armies could be sent overland from Cracow. The Russian forces in the
vicinity of Cracow could best help in the defense of Warsaw, the Russian
General Staff believed, by pressing their attack energetically and so
keeping busy in that field a large force of Austrians and Germans.

On December 6, 1914, the defense of Cracow was stiffened by the arrival
of a large body of German troops. All the magnificent trees which
surrounded the place were cut down to afford space for the artillery and
various new lines of fortifications and barbed-wire entanglements were
constructed.

The Russians perceived a turning movement on the part of the enemy,
south of Cracow, directed against the Russian left wing. Russian
reenforcements which arrived found that the bridge over the Dunajec,
near Kourove, had been destroyed, and that the heights on the left bank
of the river were occupied by the enemy. Under a sustained fire by
Germans, one of the Russian regiments crossed the Dunajec at a ford.
They made their way through ice water up to their necks, and coming out
on the other side, captured the heights by a vigorous assault. This
assured and made safe the passage of the river by the other Russian
troops.

On the following day, December 7, 1914, the Austro-Germans made an
effort to counteract the advance of the Russians to Wieliczka, southeast
of Cracow. By a dash toward Neu Sandek, on the headwaters of the Dunajec
River, the Austrians attempted to outflank the Russians and thus force
them to retreat from their advance position.

The Austro-German forces occupied the valley of the stream Lososzyna,
and the fighting front extended from near Wieliczka southeastward to the
Dunajec, about fifty miles in length. The Russian attack was successful,
the losses inflicted upon the enemy, especially the German Twenty-fourth
Corps, being very heavy. Several German heavy guns were knocked out,
five field batteries were reduced to silence, guns and prisoners taken,
and the Russians continued their attack.

In the next few days in December, 1914, events favored the Austrians. In
West Galicia the south wing of the Russian army was defeated at Limanovo
and compelled to retreat. The Austrians engaged in hot pursuit and took
many prisoners. Austrian forces took Neu Sandec and again entered
Grybow