Grand Forks daily herald., 1914-12-09
RUSSIAN STAFF
ADMITS DEFEATS
How Germans at Last Pene-
trated Arrny's Front Told
in a Statement.

Petrograd, Dec. 9.-The general
staff Of the Russian army has given
out an official report covering the
fighting on the left bank of the River
Vistula for a period Of two weeks in
the month of November and part Of
December. 1t follows:
Enemy Takes Advantage.
Toward the end Of October Rus
sian troops, pursuing certain Austrian
and German forces which were re-
treating in a southwesterly direction,
reached a line stretching from the
River Warta to the River Niozitsa.
This Russian detachment was strong
ly supported on its right wing. The
circumstances, however, were such
that our rear guards hampered the
conduct of our offensive to a consid-
cradle degree and the enemy, taking
advantage of this circumstance. NOV
ed forward along the railroad.
Right Wing Is Mcnaced.
Little by little we observed that the
Germans In front of US were moving
ins . northerly direction and that an
important force Of the enemy was be-
Ing concentrated along the front be-
tween Thorn and Slouptsy. This
movement menaced seriously our right
wing and the communication of this
wing with its base.
Highways Arc Protected.
AT the same time we learned that
certain important highways in Siles,a,
which led to the fronts on which our
other armies in position, were being
strongly protected by Austrian troops
brought from Galicia that these forces
were In turn supported in part by
German troops. The highways in
question were, Furthermore, doubtless
strongly fortified. particularly in the
vicinity Of Czenstochowa and Cracow.
Must Modify Plan.
This new military situation made
1t incumbent upon us to put into effect
q partial modification of the DISPOSE
tons of our men along our northern
front. chance which involved a con-
siderable number Of our forces.
The Russian resistance prevented
the carrying out of the German opera
tions and permitted us to bring to-
gether the forces necessary to check
the German offensive movement un-
dertaken in the vicinity Of Thorn and
Slouptsy.
Germans in Attack.
After these occurrences, the Ger
mans for period Of several days en-
deavored stubbornly to drive US from
the positions held by our right wing,
which rested on the River Vistula.
"On November 10, after unbelieva-
BILE efforts and enormous sacrifices, the
enemy succeeded in penetrating our
front.
Avalanche Flows i'm.
This success was at once followed
by the driving Of German avalanche
into the opening thus made, the forces
Of the enemy thence making their way
In the direction of Strykow, Brzeziny,
Koluschky, Tuszyn and Rzgok. Ig-
noring our right wing and our forces
in the vicinity of Lodz and to the west
OF this city, the Germans then attack
ed with great energy the Russian
forces which menaced their rear.
Columns Near Lask.
>Furthermore, on November %,
strong German columns making their
way to the east of the River Warta,
already were nearing Lask. In spite
OF these conditions. most difficult. and
distressing for us. our troops continu-
ed to fight with increasing energy. In
the region to the north Of LODI our
forces repulsed the frantic attack of
the Germans. inflicting on them heavy
losses.
Check Offensive.
To detachments of Russian re-
serves, thrown against the forces of
the enemy in the region Of Tuszyn and
Rzgow, by their energetic action were
successful in compelling the enemy
first to desist from his offensive move-
ment against our rear positions, and
later to take the defensive. These
German columns were thrown into
disorder"