New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-09
10000 Men Captured in
Series of Battles Near
PrzaSnySz.
ATTACKS CONTINUE
ON THE PILICA
Won Hindenburg's Offensive DE-
rected at Six.Mile Front
Many Austrians Surrender.

Petrograd, March Sin the north
and south the Russians are now es-
tablishing an ascendancy. They have
driven the right wing OF General Won
Eschhorn's army, which recently at
tempted to cross the Niemen above
Grodno, back toward the wide marshy
clearing outside the Augustowo forest,
never permitting the Germans rear
guard to halt. The Russian advance
here was made at remarkable pace
in view Of the miserable condition Of
the ground. At the Ossowiec fortress
the Russian artillery silenced two oil
the Germans heavy batteries on Sat
urday, and they are continuing to shell
the Lyck road to keep back German re-
Inducements.
The number of Germans who have
surrendered. especially among the
fresh conscripts, far exceeds anything
experienced in the earlier stages OF
The war. OF the first consignment,
numbering 700, of the total of lO,OOO
prisoners taken during the Przasnysz
battles, recently brought from the first
field base, scarcely fifty could walk
steadily. Others were crippled in both
feet, and complained that their boots
were bad and too heavy.
Prisoners Exhausted.
They attempted to climb into carts
which were only for the wounded, and,
when prevented, explained that they
were unaccustomed to such marches:
They already had done ten miles and
could not manage the remaining SIX.
They had been two days advancing and
two days retreating without food, and
we're absolutely used up. The Rus
sian soldiers said TO them. but you
have come 10 war. not a promenade
ooh, war" groaned the Germans with
gestures of weary despair. When they
reached the railway they collapsed and
slept in heaps on the wet platform OF
the station.
From these prisoners it has been
learned that four corps were involved
in the defeat at Przasnysz. Two were
newly formed, one from the Guards
reserve corps and one from the Slleslan
landwehr corps.
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg IS
again striving to distract attention
from this failure Of his northeastern
campaign b. directing sharp infantry
attacks on a six-mile front above the
left bank of the Pilica. in the direction
of the Rawa road. The sharp battle
in this district of Central Poland has
now lasted three days. 1t evidently
aims at preventing the Russian outer
lines in the region southwest OF War
saw from sparing forces to 80 else
where, as there are indicationS'that the
Germans fear new strong offensive
on the Nida and Dunajec against their
armies protecting Cracow.
1000 Austrians Surrender.
A continuous procession of prisoners
is pouring into Kief from Eastern
Galicia. One consignment of 1000 was
taken without a shot being fired. They
belonged to the infantry division, and
were seeking the south road for Hun
gary. They had been three days with
out food when they encountered the
commissariat transport. This they de-
tanned, and had just distributed the
food when the Russians appeared. The
Austrians Immediately sent white flag
delegates and asked to be permitted to
take their meal. Then, they promised,
they would go quietly. The RussiSns
agreed. Some Bavarian soldiers are
among the Austrian prisoners brought
to Kieif from CZernowitz. Twelve
thousand prisoners from Eastern Ga
/ licia already have started for Siberia.
/ The German staff is still striving to
avert the expected collapse of Austria
campaign. 1t has sent fresh army o.
new German conscripts, most OF them
about eighteen yeas of age, into
| Northern Hungary. With the remain
der of the Austrians they are moving
/ in great numbers on the Galician slopes
/ Of the mountains and in the broken
| hills between the sources of the San
| I'D Dneister. Their right wing was
| severely cut up on Saturday while at
/ tempting to cross the Dniester to the
eastward.