The sun., 1917-07-30
DEFEAT
ISLAID TOPLOT
BY EYEWITNESS
Germans in Petrograd and
Army Engineered Whole
sale DesertiOns.
SPY STARTED THE PANIC
Remarkable Prophecy Of Teu-
ton Prisoner Is Borne
Out by Events.
SPY STARTED THE PANIC
Special Gable Despatch 10 Tue suN from the
London Times
by ROBERT WILTON.

NNNAN
London Tines.
by ROBERT WILTON.
RUSSIAN HEADQUARTERS, July 26 (via
London, July 29).-From the statements
of a German offlcer VINO was captured
near Brzezany a fortnight ago we had
understood that the Germans were pre-
pairing for a bold stroke in conjunction
with agents in Petrograd and with the
Russian armies.
You will see your troops run away
when the time comes" he said we
have a walkover."
The events at the front have fully
borne out the prophecy. Nikolai Lenine
and his crew have we'll earned their pay.
The disturbances which were organized
at Petrograd on July l6 were organized
In Berlin to coincide with the German
plan. The thunderbolt fell upon the
very day that the high command on this
front changed hands. The harvest in
Bukowina and in Galicla was almost
gathered. A day before the news OF the
crisis at Petrograd reached US Lenine's
agents were acquainted with the facts.
They got the Information from traitors
by wireless. They spread reports that
the control OF the Government by the
Maximalists was at an end.
The enemy struck at our most sensi-
tive point from the direction OF Trem-
bowla, driving to cut the railroad con-
Meeting Tarnopol and Buczac, disuniting
the elements composing the Eleventh
Army and exposing our right flank,
which Is in serious peril.
Troops Deserted by Wholesale.
Our lines were broken on the morning
OF the 18th at Batkow. The Sixth
grenadier division deserted their posts
by wholesale and fed.
The breaking of the line represented
a small affair in itself. for the reason
that we had eight divisions In reserve
The STATS OF these neighboring armies
were left in the dark. Gen. Korniloff
realized the great danger that impended
Gen. Battle had gone to Stanislau to
transfer the command OF the Eighth
army to Gen. Cherimisoff. Precious
time was wasted in the journey.
Haying rejoined the British armored
car headquarters on the 18th. again
left Stanislau on the afternoon OF the
goth. Nothing was then known of the
rupture at the front at a point only
twenty miles distant on the morning
previous. At Stanislau rumors began to
gain circulation on the afternoon OF the
22d that ,Tarnopol was in danger. but
nothing was known positively by any
member OF the staff. On the morning OF
the 23d the staff had information which
dissipated any doubt as TO the magni-
tude OF the disaster.
My first thought was to rejoin the
British section, whose position was ex-
tremely perilous. 1 abandoned my bag
gage and jumped into the first car going
70 49, -
contingent as 1t fell back. At Podjace
Colonel from the aviation section, from
whom we heard the null story OF the
disaster.
Fought Way Through Dust.
The officers had removed the full pla nj
and property OF the section from the
zone of the Eleventh army in the full
blast OF the Russian panic. They hal
come under full speed TO Buczac. In an
inferno of binding dust We literally
fought our way. using sticks first and
then brandishing revolvers at the de-
serters. who repeatedly tried to storm
our cars until we got ahead of the rout
Then placing our lorries across the road
we damned the tide Of the panic.
Leaving Buczac at o'clock in the
AFTERNOON we fTOShuTOW. WI
were destined to witness a repetition
there OF what we had seen on the road
before. The enemy was then fifty miles
distant from the fleeing Russians. A
man on a white horse dashed through
the town yelling
THE German cavalry is behind you
save yourselves :"
He was afterward arrested and proved
to be a German spy. Indescribable con
fusion followed. The multitude of de
serters in transport cars and lorries anC
ambulances headed toward the east unit
the following morning.
In the meanwhile the British sections
at Korowa had fought gallantly to cover
the Russian retreat. According to the
words OF the Russian commander, they
had held up the German advance fol-
twenty hours. so great was the impres.
sion they created Reforming at Pod
maine, they saved the British nurses
from the horrors that later occurred
there.
Deserters swarm Upon Cars.
Last night when we left the cars thi.
side OF Cziortkow. on the road tC
Husiatyn, our losses were twelve
wounded. They are all doing we'll We
lost three more cars owing TO the de-
fection OF the Russian infantry. Tbs
deserters swarmed into the cars. a
many as thirty OF them climbing on on'
car Several OF the armored cars we.S
abandoned on this account
/ saw Gen. Selivachef yesterday. Hi
army Is suffering from deserters anC
from men who surrendered to the enemy
while the loyal element wac dishearteneS
and exhausted. The Eleventh Army
while improving, had suffered sever
losses. A severe blow TO the orderly re
treat was the traitorous surrender of tn
impregnable positions at Mikullntze
Strusow and Tarnopol, which were de
serted by three brlgades, The division
deserted without any pressure from tn
enemy. Another division acted in tn
same manner, and upon reaching Kos
SOW, Wortch and Cziortkow plundereI
stores and INDUCED in nameless exeesses
To this pass we have been brought b!
the committee system Of managing al
army
called on Gen. Korniloff this morn
ing. He Is working day and night Il
stop the enemy. The enemy had brough
up large forces. including Guard regi
ments. According to prisoners, mucl
alurm had been caused to the German
by the advance OF the Russians In Ga
licia.
Gen. Korniloffs measures against tn
lack OF discipline are approved. Tn,
execution OF deserters Ii proceeding Il
wholesale fashion