The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-03-03

tion were by this time In full retreat !:
eastward and southeastward under |
pressure from the German forces.
The Russians apparently became
desperately jammed and on February
16, when the correspondent arrived
at GrajeV, the German commander
was almost confident that the bag
would be complete. Then came the
delay in getting the fanking column
across the swamps to close the ring
and Gen. Sievers with all his higher
officers and the remnant Of his army
got away.
That the Russian commander was
able under such road conditions to
bring off as much artillery and trans
ports as he did is, in the opinion of
German experts, a most laudaole
achievement. The roads are very
narrow and obstructed with deep
drifts of snow. Each drift usually is
indicated by an abandoned cannon or
by an overturned freight automobile.
Several of the main roads were tried,
but they were utterly impossible on
account Of the snow.
A picturesque scene was witnessed
on the trip between Augustowo and
Suwalki. The road is cut like can
Won for 20 miles through a dense
Russian pine forest and formed the
only available avenue for the Ger
man advance. Along this road was a
solid stream Of infantry, artillery ana
wagon trains, moving irreslstiDly
southwark. The roadway was high
pitched and slippery with ice.
Smooth shod horses were continually
falling. The infantrymen picked
their way along the sides or the
| road. Almost every men was equip
ped with staff. There was no stop
or pause. The soldiers ate as they
marched. The horses were kept NOV
ing until they were through the
woods. as there was no place to turn
out and halt. For many miles De-
fore Augustowo was reacheo tne
same ceaselessly moving column OF
men, horses and guns had been en-
countered-an army so miles long
was on the march.
The German general army head
quarters announced on February 10
! two days before the foregoing dis
patch was written, that $4,000 Rus
SLAMS had been capt. red in the battle
of Mazurian lakes in East Prussia
On February 23 the capture Of 10,
i 900 more prisoners was announced
bringing up the total to more thar
100000 men, and including sever
generals. Tuesdays Berlin ofticia
communication said thct more thar
1900 Russian cannon had been takeI
by the Germans.
London reports: The Russian
Tenth army which, according to al
official report by Grand Duke Mich
olas, the Russian commander-ln
chief In the field, lost one Of its corp
in the last big battle in East Prussia
now stands at bay along the line o
the Narew, Bobr and Niemen river
within Russian territory. The las
Russian official communication re
lates many isolated engagements Il
this region which may mean that
counter offensive is now in progres
but of. this there is no confirmation
, Petrograd reports: Explanation G
the Russian retirement from Las
Prussia is contained in communica
9 ton given out Monday night by tn
general staff. Success Of the Ger
man coup is attributed largely to tn
lack Of strategic railways which pre-
= vented the Russians from concentral
= ing with necessary rapidity on ou
: East Prussian front forces indispens
y ible to ward of this drive Of the enc
N.Y."
The general staff asserts that tn
s massing of German troops in Eas
S Prussia was revealed to the Russian
: on February 4 but that the magnI
: tude of the concentration did not be
e come known until several days late1
e Because of these conditions, 1t
e stated, withdrawal Of the Tenth Ru:
e sian army from East Prussia tt
E wards the frontier was decided upo1
K This was followed later by furthe
V retirement towards the Niemen an
r the Bobr rivers. The communicate
# follows:
: "The Germans, after a series
d exceptionally obstinate and tenaclou
attacks which cost them innumerabl
= victims, became persuaded Of the in
n possiD Diiity of dislodging US from tn
y left hank Of the Vistula and proceed
It ed at the end of January to put a ne
n plan into operation.
Having finished the formation
) the interior Of their country Of SCI
: eral new corps and deciding to col
u tinue the transportation Of TROOP
n from their west front in order
a make a supreme effort against u
+ profting by their network Of raj
roads, the Germans were enabled
E launch an overwhelming fore
IS against our Tenth army, which occl
3 pied strongly organized position
q along the Angeraph river and th
u Mazurian lakes.
- ITO assure the success Of this cou
. the Germans transported also part {
. their contingents from the fronts 0
the Rawka, the BZura and the rikl
't bank of the Vistula. This gatherin
of Germans in East Prussia was r.
e vealed to US on February 4 but th
5 magnitude of the concentration We
not determined until several day
/ later.
~ mot being able, through lack {
- railroad facilities, to concentrate Q
:, our East Prussian front with the ne
ie essary rapidity, forces indispensib
= to ward OFF this drive Of the enem:
y, our chiefs decided to withdraw til
> above mentioned army from Ea:
,. Prussia towards the frontier and fu
>. their retirement towards the Meme
. and the Bobr has followed.
" 'The right wing of the Tent
army, pressed by great numbers {
! the enemy and Threatened with bein
- surrounded on the right flank, We
\ compelled to make very swift turl
- ing movement in the direction {
! Kovno.
" "This manoeurre exposed the fan
~ Of the corps following, which foun
~ itself i nan extremely dangerous p,