New Britain herald., 1915-04-24
IF fall OF
FORTRESS
II Held Out to Very Last Hour
|ssIb'e for Human Force.

MpeSC, April lU.--A full deSCrip-
the history Of the fortress OF
Hsl and it's garrison has been
by the Austrian general staff,
ian account of the capture, the
pgs OF the men, and details re-
no the provisioning of the gar
The statement in part Is as
garrison of the fortress held
syl to the very last hour that
force could do In the military
be the word. General Kusma-
bly, surrendered when such
he was dictated by humane and
Nv considerations. On the day
surrender there was not single
of food in the fortress, and no
|ast could be supplied to the
khing positive is known yet as
terms Of surrender but pre-
fy they had to surrender I'M
|onally, and Generals Kusmanek
hmmassy (chief OF the Honved
were taken prisoners with all
|rTison. Under them were the
n division of Versacz, the East
In L.andwehr, the Northern
|rian and Galacian Landsturm,
|lngarian artillery division, and
1T artillery detachment or the
|ustrian landsturm artillery.
Events Develop Quickly.
Rnts have developed around
Bsl more than was expected.
\ the last sortie it was ascer-
srthat the Russians had built
r-fortifications all around the
II even in the direction of their
Brritory, preparing for all even
bs.. In fact, the Russians built
fortress all around the be-
territory. The Notifications
10 constructed as to constitute
obstacle toward at
Just the counter-form of the
|ations and defensive works Of
ktrtss itself. The Russian ring
Instructed exclusively against
Esl with unparalleled skill and
". and with all available means
hern technique.
the west a well-fortif1ed de-
X line and on the south a large
Ia army stood in the way of
|tempt to relieve Przemysl. In
III the roads leading towards
were well fortified, as the last
proved. This was the military
bn of the fortress during the
beks.
\ last sortie was directed to-
the east, and was undertaken,
It'll the view of effecting the re-
the fortress but to find out If
grounding Russian force was
bng towards Gradek and Lam
Is in the other directions, and
er the Russians had fortified
in the Grodek direc-
] well as to the south and west
fortress.
Fortress Well Provisioned.
til regard to provisions the for
vas we'll supplied at the outset,
q stores were consumed at the
of the first investm ent, which
until October IL. On that date
,rtress was relieved, and Gen
borvevich entered the fortress
his enemy. The railway lines
cen blown up by the retreating
ms. On the Galician roads it
to transport anything
and this fact obliged us to pro-
the army fighting to the east of
Aysl from the stores of the
Es. the army being cut off from
her points of supply.
was thus necessary to draw
ions from the ample stores Of
ysl in the hope that as soon
railway line was reconstruct
, stores could be replaced. The
y line was reconstructed, and
tober 2 the first trains began
We towards the fortress.
the end of ten days, however
efore the deficiencies could be
good, Przemysl was invested
this period the situation In
Poland made it necessary fol
withdraw our flank in Galicia
3 the ten days at our disposal
transport Of ammunition took
place. The question of provis-
the fortress appearing at that
to be a secondary matter; wher
tally food supplies were des.
ed to Przemysl it was too late.
ring the first days of the in.
ent, in November, General Kus.
X took stock of the available
fly of foodstuffs, and drew up e
of rations. He took great care
neither officers nor man should
ore than the minimum of every.
For breakfast they had onl.
or their midday meal a small
of meat and a half q pound
cad, and in the evening tea
with some bread. To add t,
aeat supply thousands of horses
slaughtered, which was all tn,
necessary. on account of tn,
age in fodder. Later on Thu
num was further reduced, so tina
men of the garrison were OIL
IL starvation diet for the las
of the siege.
Aeroplanes No Use.
has been said in some quar-
that flying machines and dirig
might have been used in bring