The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-03-26
PRzEMYSL FORT
FALLS TO RUSSIA
'6ALIClAN STRONGHOLD is CAP
TURED AFTER SIX MONTHS
CONTINUOUS ASSAULTS.
CAPTURE MOST IMPORTANT
Victory Ry Cars Men Has Opened
the Way to Germany and
Hungary.

LondOn.-The long investment D
the mid-Galician fortress of Przemys
has ended. Depleted by disease, sui
sisting on horse flesh and surrounded
by a superior force Of Russians, TIL
garrison has surrendered to the be
sleglng army after a defense laStir;
many months, which, up to- the pres
emit is recorded as Austrias most note
worthy contribution to the war.
Petrograd, London and Paris ar,
celebrating the event-Petrogra(
and Paris in the spontaneous man
ner characteristic of these cities
London with silent and grim satlsfac
ton, which is the Briton's way.
The newspapers assert that the fal
or the fortress marks the most import
ant capture Of the war, not accepting
antwerp, in that 1t not only releases
considerable Russian forces which car
be thrown into the struggle in the Car
pathians, but opens the door to era
cow and the plains of Hungary.
Expect Good Moral Effect.
1t is argued, moreover that the NOR.
al effect Of the surrender will be ire
mendOus, the theory of the allies being
that it will stimulate feeling in their
favor both In ROumania and Bulgaria
just rs the operations In the Darda-
nelles are causing an agitation in
Greece and Italy.
Przemysl fell with honor, the British
press comedies, for it withstood the
onslaughts longer than any place dur
ing the war, the investment havin;;
begun about September Is, something
more than six months ago.
The duration of the siege compared
with the length Of time it took the
Germans to capture such strongholds
as Liege, Namur and Antwerp was due
to two causes, one being the desire q
the Russians to keep the loss of life
among the besieging army at a mini.
mum; the other to the lack of great
guns, which the Germans had in Bel
GUM.
5esiegers Kept at Distance.
The Investment was not close one.
The garrison held up until recently a
radius Of about ~ miles in which to
move about, and some dispatches told
of shooting expedition INDUCED in by
the officers Of the garrison. An aero
plane post mas maintained almost I'd
to the last and it is said that even
some scanty food supplies were car.
ried In this way.
The Przemysl garrison was estimat
ed at $4,000 men last September. and
last week it was reported that it had
diminished to $4,000. There have been
recurrent reports of cholera and other
diseases, but these reports were a.
vague as many of the premature re.
ports regarding its surrender.
Petrograd sends the following on
the fall of the Galician stronghold:
The Przemysl garrison, which ca,
pitulated to the Russian army, sur
rendered without fight. The hoist.
Ing OF the white flag over the fortress.
which was said to be on the point OF
surrender on a number Of occasions,
caused little surprise, as it was gener.
ally known that it was in a terribly
weakened condition, without food or
ammunition. and that its endurance
was only a question of days.
War Office advices report that nine
Austrian generals were taken, more
than 300 officers and $4,000 men.
The Russian general commanding
the investing army has been decorated
With st. Georges cross.
Snow Falls to Check Joy.
"A heavy snowstorm failed to check
the enthusiastic demonstrations in
which the civil and military popula.
lions united when the fall of Przemysl
was announced The crowds founder.
Ing IN deep drifts. which tied up street
traffic, cheered the officers and sol.
diers. who remained to participate in
the celebrations.
From the kazan cathedral the
;trains OF the national anthem swelled
IN volume as the crowd gathered and
from other points throughout the CITY
mysteriously hidden behind the dense
curtain of falling snow, music burst
forth and added to the general spirit
of enthusiasm. The moral effect Of
the victory on Russia. 1t is expected
Will be very great, awakening hopes
that this will be the turning point in
the Galician and Carpathian cam.
paign."
Austrian Statement.
The following official communica.
ton has been issued from Vienna:
AFTER four months investment
przemysl has honorably fallen. The
commander has received an order to
leave the fortress to the nmy in TIRES
days bcause at the moment of attack
even with the greatest economy in the
food rations, resistance could be
maintained for three DAYS only.