The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-10-18
German Column of Four Hun
bred thousand Defeated In
Twc.Day Battle
Gar Plans to
Play Waiting Game
Petrograd Officials Believe De-
lay Will Play Into Their
Hands in Polish Campaign
Germans Prepare to Winter

Petregrad. Oct. i7.--The Russian
general staff, in statement issued
this afternoon, asserts that the Ger
mans have been decisiveiy defeated
west Of Warsaw and the troops be-
sieging Przemysi In Galicia are MAX
ing such progress that the FORTRESS
must fall within a few days. The
official statement is as followsi
! The gigantic onslaughts of the
German ferces ali along the battle
line In Russian Poland have been re-
pulsed with severe lesses to the enc
my.
After having been driven back
from Warsaw. after they had ad-
vanoed to within eight miles Of that
city. the Germans. from ensrenched
positions. again took the offensive.
hut every attack made by them was
rcpulsed and they werc driven hack.
We have let the enemy take the
offensive for strategic reasons. They
have lost many men In killed. wound
and and prisoners and we have cap
tured many guns and an ammunition
corps.
"Near Tvangorod. the Germans es-
sayed a night assault, but our troops
threw their searchIlshts upon the ad-
vancing enemy ard In terrific bat
/ lie which ensued the Germans were
routed with heavy losses.
I'm the Galician tkenter OF war we
are continuing our heavy lombard
ment OF Prxemysl All sorties made
by the garrison there have been re-
pulsed. Attacks by the Austrinas
seem to be weakening, The fall Of
the fortress Is but matter Of a Few
| lays. as eSery advantage is with our
troops"
Germans 100000 Strong.
Tcday's official statement. more de-
tailed than for several days past.
refers apparently to "a series of bat
Ties fought yesterday. On Tuesday
Hnd "Wednesday, the Germans. push
ing forward eight army corps OF about
100000 men. were rapidly nearing
the west bank OF .hs v.staisi, ana
were attempting TO throw detach-
ments across the river at Ivangorod.
while threatening Warsaw, stxty-two
miles northward. with strong coll
umn. The Russians defeated these
columns IN two days OF fighting and
forced the Germans 10 retire twenty
three miles 20 a line OF entrench-
ments, Heavy rains which nrired the
:ew roads, embarrassed German ope-
ratiorhs and resulted in the loss Of
many field guns and several large
siege guns, which had been brought
up to lombard Warsaw
1t appears that on Thursday the
Germans, reforming from their en-
trenched positions on the line OF
Lowfcz. Grotsc and Yedlinsko. es-
! sayed q new advance against Warsaw
and Ivangorod. but were one more
thrown back
It Is reported that the Russian sue
cess was due largely TO their prepon-
derance in artillery, and to the excel
lent direction OF their artillery fire. In
the news there is the Interesting COM
ment that the Russian fortified line
west OF the vistula had been prepared
weeks ago. which seems 10 bear out
the Russian contention that the Ger
man invasion of Poland was expected.
and that the Grand Duke Nicaolas, for
strategical reasons, withdrew his
forces from Western Poland to an I'm :
pregnable line in Central Poland.
There Is hint from official sources
that 1t Is part OF the Russian plan to
delay operations In roland, so as to
compel the Germans to keep a ire
mendous force engaged there in the
winter, when the advantage would be