The Pleasantville press., 1914-12-05
GERMANS TAKE
10000 IN POLAND
Are Heavily Reinforced and
Resume Offensive.
THE BATTLE CONTINUES
Russians, After Being Driven Back,
Recapture Plock After Fierce Bat

Recapture Plock After Fierce Bat
tie.
The German war office in Berlin
in its official statement declares that
the battles in northern Poland "are
taking their normal course" In south
ern Poland, it is asserted, the Rus
sian attack has been repulsed.
"The eastern army" it says, has
taken $4,000 unwounded Russian pris.
oners in the battles between Nov. II
and Dec. l."
The battles in question include
those at Wloclawek, Kutno, Lodz and
Lowicz.
Statements of the foreign press"
says the war office, that the 23,00c
prisoners we reported as taken by ua
at Kutno were included in the 10000
previously reported are untrue"
The Russians have driven back the
Germans along the Vistula and now
hold Plock in force.
This information reached Petrograd
in unofficial dispatches from the front
telling of the terrific fighting in Po'
land
Plock is sixty miles northwest OF
Warsaw, on the Vistula.
1t was at Plock that the first deter.
mined fighting occurred in the Ger.
man advance upon Warsaw from
Thorn. The Russians were driven
back, but were last reported to have
recovered ground to Gombin, ten
miles south of Plock, and have now
occupied that position ITSELF
The bloodiest day of the fighting in
Poland to date is said to have been
last Friday Throughout that day the
Siberian corps stormed the German
trenches in the Lodz region. The Rus.
SLAMS charged and carried the fighting
directly to the German lines.
The enemy offered terrific resist
ance. Ammunition was cast aside and
the two forces fought bayonet to bay
onet, or dubbed each other with the
butts of their rifles. Many resorted to
bare fists before giving up. Not a
single German was left alive when the
Russians finally came into undisputed
possession of the works. The Russian
troops were soaked with blood, which
froZe ON their uniforms.
By holding Plock the Russians con
troll the Vistula, which has been serv
Ing as an important line of communi
cation for the Germans, it is declared
Several barges loaded with supplies
and ammunition have already been
captured.
The Russian troops are declared to
be withstanding the hardships of the
winter campaigning better than the
Germans. All prisoners captured de
clare that they have endured terrible
suffering. Many have frosted or frozen
feet and hands. Supply trains have
been wrecked and there is a shortage
of warm clothing for the army.
With no respite in the fighting day
or night, the Russians are pressing to
win control of the north road through
Kutno leading to Thorn. This road,
which follows the railroad, is the only
avenue for a German relief army.
The official report of operations
says that on the left bank of the Wis
tula river, in the region of LODI, the
action continues to develop, the at
lacks of the enemy being directed
mainly against the front between
Bielawy and Sobota.
To the north of Lowicz the Russian
offensive was successful. 1t Is in this
region that the czar's forces are try
ing to dominate the German commu
nications to Thorn.
In the region of Lodz a terrific ar
tillery engagement continues. West OF
Lodz Russians have come in contact
with strong German contingents, thai
are concentrating from Kalisz in the
direction of Sieradz.
The battle in the south is also ia
vorabel to the Russians, according te
reports. The official estimate of the
number of Austrians taken in the last
two weeks is $4,000.