The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-24
Were Assuming Offensive

"oiH ueSplle nedNy losses.
 Were Assuming Offensive
 The Russians were assuming the offen-
 siVe when artillery which hitherto had
 been unable to get through the forests
 to the south of MazurIan lakes arrived
 Just in time and turned the scale. The | troops Of this column pressed forwa I'd
 aiohs the fairway, only a dozen miles 1 Wlde between the Mazurian lakes and the Russian frontier. driving the Russians
 before them, but they were forced to | turn three times to beat off the fla nk at- jacks from the south
 The Russian commander-in-cbief rnada despite efforts to come to the aid of
 thls army, whose plight by now was rec oshlzed He sent in column of troops
 from the fortress of Lomza and from
 Kolno and from the fort at Assowetz hacn tune the German commander de- 1 feated the Russian relief columns and then continued his march
 1 The retreat of the Russians on this part of the field of operations could be made in only direction, namely the
 northeast, as the swamp belt prevented | their escape to the east or south 1 The troops from the center and north- | ern flank of the Russian position were by
 this time in full retreat eastward and southeastward under pressure from the pursuing German forces
 1 The Russians apparently became des- | perately iambed and on February 16 when the correspondent arrived at Ora
 Jevo on the heels of the entering German troops, the German comma nder was al-
 most confident that the bag would be con- l plete. Then came the delay in getting the hanking column across the swamps to | close the hole in the ring and General Sievers with all his higher officers and
 the remnant of his army got away. Brilliant Achievement That the Russian commander was able under such road conditions to bring off as much artillery and transport as he did Is, in the opinion of German experts
 a most laudable achievement. The roads arr very narrow and obstructed with deep drifts of snow. Each drift usually is indicated by cannon standing on its end or by freight automobile which has
 been overturned. Several of the main roads were tried, but they were utterly
 impassabe on account of the snow picturesque scene, reminding one of a canvas by the Russian painter Veret- chagin was witnessed on the trip between Augustowo and Suwalki. The road is cut like canon for 20 miles through a dense Russian pine forest. and it formed the only available avenue for the ad- vance of the German troops. Along this road was a solid stream of infantry, artil- l lery and wagon trains. usually in three columns, moving irresistbly southwark | The roadway was high pitched and slip 1 pery with ice. Smooth shod horses were 1 continually falling. The infantrymen | picked their way along the sides of the | road. Almost every man was equipped l with staff which seemed to have been | copied from Verestchagins painted soi- | diers.
 There was no stop or pause. The soldiers | ate they marched. The horses were | kept moving until they were through the | woods as there was no place to turn | out and halt. For many miles before | Augustowo was reached the same cease | lessly moving column of men, horses and | guns had been encountered-an army 50 | miles long was on the march.
 The German geenral army headquar- ters announced on February IS, two days | before the foregoing dispatch was written. that 64,000 Russians had been captured | in the battle of Mazurian lakes in East | Prussia. On February 23, the capture of 4Oo0O more prisoners was announced bringing up the total to more than 1OO,- r 600 men and including seven generals. Tuesdays Berlin official communication saiG that more than 300 Russian cannon had been taken by the Germans.
 Victory Complete
 Berlin. February 23.-(via London 1:6O p. m.)-The latest official report of Field Marshal Von Hindenburgs victory in East Prussia shows that 1t Is far more complete than at first thought. Enthusiasm has broken out anew in the German cap ital and flags are flying profusely.
 The press reflects the exultant tone of the people. The Lokal Anzieger's remarks indicate the general tenor of the news papers comment. It says:
 Tor asunder and crushed to earth are the battle ranks of the Czar of all the Russnans. the proud hope of the triple entente. The Russian Tenth army con ssting of Il divisions and a number of ca, airy divisions, has virtually ceased to exist. Thousands lay bleeding and silent on the ground; other tens of thou sands stretched u3 their hands, while the scanty remnants lied in affrighted haste. Some troops still maintained their organ nations, but many were dissolved. Men lost their heads and rushed away like wild herds. seeking refuge in the forests, while the pursuit roared behind them.
 The achievements of our troops, veter- ans and new recruits, seem to have been It is not vainglorious to say that Bluechers victory of Belle AL lance (the Prussian term for Waterloo). following the pursuit of Napoleon and the of his best armies are eclipsed by what has occurred. Bluechers troops had waited for weeks in com fortable quarters. The concentration as NapOleOn apprOacneQ, were in comparison with the dis tarces just. covered in the east While part of the troops were fighting in fixed positions for weeks.> the others made 'orced marches for days. Then followed ! nine-days' battle, which closed with the pursuit.
 "It is a well-known fact that the pur- sued can run faster than the pursuer. Nevertheless our troops kept close on the n cells of the Russians in not letting them escape from their steel-like grasp.
 When the Russian commander-in-chief was announcing. Our troops in the vi- ,inity of Augustowo are gradually with from the zone of fighting the ast remnants of the Tenth army were ay;ng down their arms in the forests lear Augustowo and in northwest Grodno.
 ''The victory which resulted in the larg- ,st number of prisoners ever taken in pen battle. also was the most complete n the worlds histo1y.~
 All Braves Have Si9nAd