PA RIVERS

As the autumn of 1915 drew to an end and winter approached, the
fighting along the eastern front changed from attacks over more or
less extensive spaces to trench warfare within very restricted
territory and to artillery duels. This change took place, as we have
already seen, as far as the front from the Vilia River down to the
southern limits of the Pripet Marshes was concerned, as early as the
end of September, 1915. Farther south, however, along the Styr and its
tributary, the Ikwa, and in the region through which the Strypa,
Sereth, and Dniester flow, in the Russian provinces of Volhynia and in
Austro-Hungarian East Galicia, the severest kind of fighting was kept
up much longer.

The preceding chapter carried us, as far as this territory was
concerned, up to October 7, 1915. On that day the Russians attacked
with all available forces of men and munitions along the entire
Volhynian, Galician, and Bessarabian front. One of the principal
points of contention was the little town of Tchartorysk on the Styr,
about five miles south of the Warsaw-Kovel-Kieff railroad. To the
northwest of it the Germans under General Linsingen began a
counterattack on October 7, 1915, and threw the Russians across the
Styr. A Russian counterattack, undertaken on the 8th with the object
of regaining their lost position, was frustrated by artillery fire. To
the north, just across the railroad at Rafalovka, attacks and
counterattacks followed each other as regularly as day and night. For
about two weeks a series of local engagements on this small front of
ten or fifteen miles took place with such short periods of rest that
one may well speak of them as the Battle of Tchartorysk. Neither side,
however, seemed to be able to gain any marked advantage.

About the 18th of October, 1915, the Russians succeeded, after
bringing up reenforcements, in driving a wedge into the Austro-German
line which they were able to maintain until October 21, 1915. On that
day the Austro-Germans, too, brought up reenforcements and started a
strong offensive movement. From three sides the small salient was
attacked near Okonsk, and after furious resistance it caved in.
Russian counterattacks to the north and south, undertaken in order to
relieve the pressure on the center, had no effect. The Russians were
forced to retreat, and left 15 officers, 3,600 men, 1 cannon, and 8
machine guns in the hands of their enemies. However, the Russians came
on again an