Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-03-23
FALL OF PRZEMYSL
Continued From Page One)

kSCNbtnuSu FROM IdSO o''~'
resources and desire to consume the
remainder Of its ammunition previous
to surrendering.
Although Przemysl had been elm
mated as a positive menace to the
Russian troops operating in Galicla
since it was isolated and surrounded
early in october. it always had been
a potential source Of danger. Many
stubborn battles have been fought py
the besiegers with portions of the gar
rison which attempted to break
through the investing lines to join re-
lief columns which on some occasions
pushed to within % miles of the city
It is believed here that the next I'M
portant development in Galicia VIII
be a new Russian advance toward
Cracow the Austrians having been VII
tually driven out of the territory as
far southwark as the Carpathians.
Final Act Of Drama
The last Of the improvised field for
tifications were captured several days
ago and the final act of the drama
began toward the close of last week
when the commandant deliberately ex-
pended his reserve ammunition anu
sent the bulk of the garrison out on
the forlorn hope of cutting Its way
eastward through the besiegers.
With the strong Russian line tightly
drawn around the fortress, the effort APP
parently was hopeless from the start
and scoo Austrian prisoners fell into the
hands of the Russians. The loss oil the
Teutonic allies in dead and wounded was
fully as much more. The shattered REM
nants of the force fled back to the tort
ress and they now have fallen into the
hands Of the Russians.
The garrison of Przemysl originally
numbered 10000 or $1,000 men, but sortles
and shells must have cut a considerable
number of thousands from that total.
To March on Cracow
The besieging army is understood TO
number about 10000 officers and men.
This force now will march on Cracow,
125 miles to the west of Przemysl, it be-
ing the announced determination OF the
Russian commander-in-chief to reduce
the strongly fortified ancient Polish cap
ital as speedily as possible
AS soon as the news Of the fall or
Przemysl reached the headquarters OF
the Russian commander-chief TIE Deum
was celebrated in the presence of En-
peror Nicholas and Grand Duke Nicholas
an all their stats.
Bitter Siege
The siege of Przemysl, an Austrian
stronghold in the province OF Galicia, mas
been under way since the early days OF
the war. 1t has been bitter and relent-
less siege, which has never been relaxed
for a day since the Russian invested the
city. Several attempts of the Austrians
TO raise the siege, the latest Of which
was made only a short time ago, have
failed.
With the fall Of Phzemysl the only i'm
portant fortified town IN Galicia which is
still in the hands of the Austrians is
Cracow, in northwestern Galicia, close
to the German border.
In the early. days Of the war the Rus
sian offensive cam paign as outlined hl-
officially, contemplated the invasion of
Germany through east Prussia on the
north and simultaneously in SileSia from
Galcia. The Russians succeeded in pen
etrating Galicia, but the success OF the
AustriaTls in holding PrZemysl and Cra-
cow blocked attempts to invade Germany
across the Silesian border.
The siege OF Przemysl has been one Of
the most picturesque phases of the war
in the east. The Austrian garrison de-
Tended the city with determination and
vigor and during the earlier months IN
f1icted considerable losses .on the Rus
slams by frequent sorties. The only means
of communication with the outside world
was by wireless biography and aero
planes.
Although there have been several re-
ports recently that the surrender of
Przemysl was imminent, news from the
city itself described conditions there as
nearly normal, except for the regulations
imposed by the military authorities. All
supplies of food We're taken over by the
army officials who issued rations to sol
,,iers and civilians alike. The last di-
rect word from Przemysl before the an
nouncement of its surrender was that the
Russian attacks were infrequent and that
the defenders had little to do.