Riga-Petrograd railroad as far as Venden, about fifty miles northeast
of Riga, and along the Dvinsk-Petrograd railway as far as Rzezytsa,
about fifty miles northeast of Dvinsk. At the latter point
considerable damage was done by a dirigible which dropped explosive
and incendiary bombs.

Throughout the last day of April, 1916, artillery duels were fought
again at many points. Once more the railway station and bridgehead at
Uxkull was made the target for a most violent German artillery attack.
Along the Dvinsk sector, too, guns of all caliber were busy.

CHAPTER XIX

ARTILLERY DUELS

With the beginning of May, the weather became warmer and the rain and
watersoaked roads more accessible. In spite of this, however,
conditions along the eastern front throughout the entire month of May
were very much the same as during April. Continuously the guns on both
sides thundered against each other, with a fairly well-maintained
intensity which, however, would increase from time to time in some
places. Frequently, almost daily, infantry attacks, usually preceded
by artillery preparation, would be launched at various points. These,
however, were almost all of local character and executed by
comparatively small forces. Even smaller detachments, frequently
hardly more than scouting parties, often would reach the opponent's
lines, but only rarely succeed in capturing trenches, and then usually
were soon forced to retire to their own lines in the face of
successive counterattacks. Again in May the story of events on the
eastern front is lacking in sensational movements, accompanied by
equally unsensational success or failure. But, nevertheless, it is on
both sides a story of unceasing activity, of unending labor, of
unremitting toil, of endless suffering, of unlimited heroism, and of
unsurpassed courage, the more so, because much of all that was
accomplished was counted only as part of the regular daily routine,
and lacked both the incentive and the reward of widespread publicity,
which more frequently attaches to military operations of more
extensive character. Not for years to come will it be possible to
write a detailed history of this phase of the Great War as far as the
eastern front is concerned. Not until the regimental histories of the
various Russian, German and Austro-Hungarian military units will have
been completed will it become practicable to recount all the uncounted
deeds of valor accomplished by heroes whose