The Elbert County tribune., 1914-08-28
RUSS ARMY HOLDS EAST PRUSSIA
AFTER TEN-0AY oRAPPLE At
CLOSE RANGE.
REVERsEs ON BORDER
KoNIes6ERG AND DANzIG ARE
FORTS THAT NOW CHECK
RUSSIAN ADVANCE.
Newspaper Union New. Service.

desperate hand-to-hand fighting, Rus
sia Is in possession OF nearly all of
east Prussia, according to the military
correspondent OF the Daily Express.
The strongly fortified German posi-
tions have been carried. one after an
other, at the point OF the bayonet. The
Russian soldiers. trained In this meth
cd of attack. have charged in the face
OF rapid-fire guns and have driven the
enemy out of their entrenchments,
slaughtering all who offered resist
ance. The ferocity of the Russian
form of attack is shown by the fact
that many of the defenses have been
taken by the use OF hand grenades
Thrown at close range one of these
exploding shells frequently killed thir-
ty or forty German soldiers time and
time again.
The same close fighting. in which
the infantry soldiers creep under cover
as close to the enemy's trenches as
possible. then, leaping to their feet
and firing as they run, fall upon the
defenders with their bayonets, has
won for the Cars forces decisive vic
tories against Austria.
The Russian army invading east
Prussia is stated on the highest au-
thcrity to number the astounding to
tai of 100000 men, while the reserve
army of 100000 is slowly following
up their victorious march.
The only success claimed by the
German-Austrian allies took place
near Krasnils in Russian Poland.
There. the official dispatches say,
battle of three days duration ended
in a complete Austrian victory. The
Russian forces were repulsed along
the entire front of forty miles and
are now in full flight in the direction
of I.ublin.
The military correspondent OF the
Nieuwe Courant at The Hague de
clares he is able to state on trust
worthy authority that the Germans
plan to abandon temporarily east and
west Prussia and Pomerania to the
Russians and withdraw slowly to the
River Oder, where the main defenses
OF Berlin lie.
Germany, according to the corre-
spondent, appears to have undertaken
this measure to give time to her army
operating against France to try and
deal the British and French armies
their death blow and then march on
to Paris, the distance between Mons
and Paris being four times less than
the distance between St. Petersburg
and Berlin.
The Germans in the Elbing district
of east Prussia near the Vistula river,
are fleeing westward before the Rus
sian advance.
A st. Petersburg dispatch to the
Reuter- Telegram Company says that
the Russian troops in eastern Prussia
have occupied the towns of Norden-
burg. Sensturg and Bischofsburg and
the railway station at Rothfliess, and
adds that the Russian advance con-
tinues.
In eastern Galacia the Russians
have driven back che Austrian rear
guard beyond the River Zeota Lipa,
which runs north and south. about
thirty miles west of Tarnopol.
A dispatch from Bucharest. via
Rome. says that the Russian columns
invading Galacia have occupied Tar
nopol, an important city eighty miles
east. southeast of Lemberg. capital Of
Galacta. Three Austrian army corps
are said to be opposing them.
The Russian embassy issued the
following statement:
"In eastern Prussia, on Aug. "a. the
line of the River Angerap, although
| s-I e.. .lAf 81, a
by the enemy without an attempt to
offer resistance. Insterburg and An
| gersburg are occupied by the Russian
| troops. The enemy has retreated in
| great disorder, partly towards Koe-
nigsburg and partly toward Rosten-
burg From the front Ortelsburg- Sol
dau the Russians are gradually ad-
vancing, the enemy retiring to Oster-
ode and leaving several guns, machine
| guns, ammunition wagons and provi-
| sions'
The Times ST. Petersburg correspon-
dent says that the Germans, who re-
treated by forced marches after their
defeat by the Russians at Gumbinnen,
are assembling a part OF their forces
at Konigsberg. The German fortified
position on the River Angerab was
abandoned without fight.
THE roads beyond the Angerab are
strewn with cartridges. knapsacls and
equipment, cast aside in the hasty
flight of the German troops" says the
Times correspondent.
North of Neidenburg there was
stubborn fighting in which the Rus
slams were again victorious, largely
through their superb use of the bay
onet. The enemy here had estab-
lished the entire Twentieth army
corps in fortified position. The Rus