Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-05-01
STARVATION FORCES
AUSTRIANS TO QUIT
Story is Told of the Conditions at
PrSemysl by General Of Staff
Of Defending Army.
FOOD OF ALL KINDS WAS GONE

| Correspondence OF the Associated Press.)
BUDAPEST, April pa full de-
scription OF the history Of the for
tress OF Przemysl and It's garrison
has been issued by the Austrian gen
eral staff, giving an account OF the
capture, the sufferings OF the men
and details relating TO the provision
ing OF the garrison. The statement
in part is as follows:
The garrison of the fortress held
Przemysl to the very last hour that
human force could do so IN the mill
tary sense Of the word General
Kusmanek only surrendered when
such a course was dictated by hu-
name and military considerations.
On the day OF the surrender there
was not a single forsel of food in the
fortress. and no breakfast could be
supplied to the men.
Nothing positive IL known vet as 20
the terms Of surrender. but presumably
they had TO surrender Internationally.
and Generals Kusmanek and Tammsssy
tchief Of the Honved forces) were taken
prisoners, with all the garrison. Under
them were the Honved division Of YER
sacz. the East Galician Landwehr. the
Northern Hungarian and Galician Land
sturm. the Hungarian artillery division
and the fort artillery detachment Of the
First Austrian Landsturm artillery.
Events have developed around Preze-
BVsi more quickly than was en-
pected. During the last sortie IL was
| ascortained that the Russians had built
counter Qualifications all around the
fortress. even In the direction OF their
own territory. preparing for ali event.
uaiities. In fact. the Russians built a
new fortress all around the besieged ter
ritory. The Qualifications were so con-
structed as to constitute an impenetrable
obstacle 20 inward attacks Just the
countor-forn OF the fortificatsons and
defensive works OF the fortress Itself.
The Russian ring was constructed ex-
ciUsively egain Przemysl with unparaI-
leled skin and raptdity and with all
available means of modern technique.
"on the west a we'll fortified defend
army stood IN the way OF any attempt
20 relieve Przemysl. In addition. the
roads leading towards Russia were well
fortified. as the last sortie proved. This
was the military situation of the fortress
during the last week.
The last sortie MAS directed towards
the cast. and was undertaken. not with
the view Of effectlng the relief Of the
fortress. but 10 find out OF the eurround..
ing Russian force was as strong towards
Grodek and Lemberg as in the other d.
rections, and whether the Russians had
fortified their positions in the Grodek d.
rection as well as TO the south ana west
Of the fortress.
Railroad Lines Destroyed.
with regard 10 provisions the fortress
was well supplied at the outset. but the
stores were consumed at the time OF the
first investment. which lasted until ooto-
Der II. on that date the fortress was re-
loved, and General Borveyich entered
with his army, The railway, lines had
been blown up by the rotreating Russians.
On the Galicien roads n was impossible
to transport anything at that time. and
this fact Obliged US 10 provision the
army fighting 10 the east OF PrzemyslI \
from the stores OF the fortress. the army
being cut off from all other points Of
supply.
1T was thus necessary TO draw pro-
visions from the ample stores OF
Przemysl in the hope that as soon as the
railway line was reconstructed the stores
could be replaced The railway line was
Reconstructed. and on October . the frat
trains began to move towards the
fortress
AT the end OF ten days, however, ana
before the deficiencies could be made
good. PrxemysI was invested anew
AT this period the situation IN North
Poland made Il necessary for Va to with
draw our flank In oaiicia. During the
ten days at our disposal the transport OF
ammunition took first place. The ques-
ton Of provisioning the fortress appear
ing At that time TO be a secondary mat
ter; when eventually food supplies were
dispatched 10 Prxemysl II was too late.
scale of Ras,sns.
During the first days OF tho investment.
In November, General Kusmanek took
stock OF the available quantity OF food
stuffs and drew up a scale OF rations
He took great care that neither officers
nor men should get more than the mini
mum OF everything For breakfast they
had only tea. for their midday meal q
small piece OF meat and half pound OF
bread. and In the evening tea again. with
bread. To add to the meat supply thou