The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1915-03-31
Just Before the Fall OF
Przemysl Fortress.
TEN THOUSAND SHELLS FIRED
In the Two Hours Before Day.
light-Pall Of Smoke
Hung Over All.
SURRENDER OCCUPIED A DAY

Przemysl, Galicia. March 23, via
Petrograd, March 27.-The night
preceding the surrender to the Rus
SLAMS of the Austrian fortified posi-
tion at Przemysl was hideous in the
Russian lines with the roar of guns
and the shock of exploding shells.
Never on this frontier during the
war has there been such a lombard
ment.
Standing outside the walls of the
fallen fortress to-day an American
correspondent heard the story of the
besieged and the besiegers, while
the smoke of battle was still hang
ing in heavy clouds overhead.
The night of March 21-22 the
Austrians maintained an unprece-
denied fire upon the Russian posi-
lions. The hut in which the Rus
sian staff officers had their quarters
shook like leaf. and the ground
for miles around trembled as though
rent by series of earthquakes. All
night long the sky was red with the
bursting of shells.
The cannonading reached its great
est intensity between and 6 O'Clock
in the morning. During these two
hours 10000 shells We're fired. Be-
fore dawn a scouting division of
Russians drove back the Austrians,
who were in occupation of the out
lying positions, and after a sharp
engagement occupied the Austrian
trenches. Backing up this move
ment, the entire Russian army, fac
ing the Austrians, began to close in
on them. AS this advance was
made the Austrians from all sides
retired to the protection of the fort
ress.
Suddenly kilograms began reach
ing Russian headquarters from va
rious points, declaring that the Aus
TRANS were blowing up their forts.
At the same time the Austrian fire
slackened to certain extent and
above the roar of the artillery could
be heard the deep roar of explosions
from within the fortress.
The Russians continued advanc-
ing. the men running forward
among exploding mines. Occasion
ally rifle firing was heard.
Toward s a. m, March %, white
flags began appearing over the tops
of the Austrian forts. The Russian
fire thereupon ceased. Then a group
of Austrian officers under a flag of
truce appeared. making its way from
one of the forts in the direction of
the Russian headquarters. Soon
from all directions Austrian divis-
ions appeared walking quietly to-
ward the Russian ranks. The officers
wore their arms. but the soldiers
were mostly unarmed. Others were
observed throwing away their rifles
as they came on. These Austrian
troops spoke in friendly and kindly
terms to the Russian soldiers and
saluted the Russian officers.
The River Vichora. tributary of
the San. separated the Russians
from the Austrian forts on one sec
tion of the front. At this point the
railroad bridge had been blown up
and the Russians had difficulty in
crossing. The men made their way
as best they could over the remains
OF the wrecked bridge, while the
Cossacks swan their horses. The
correspondent crossed with the Cos
sacks.
A notable feature of the advance
was that all of Przemysl was cover
ed with heavy clouds of smoke. Loud
detonations continued and II was ev-
ident that the Austrians We're de-
stroying the remainder of their am
munition.
Discussion of the terms of surren-
der occupied the entire day. In the
meantime and until evening the
sound of explosions from within the
fortress continued.
All day long soldiers struggled
out from the fortress without arms.
They were rounded up and taken to
Russian headquarters.