Thereafter
it was decided to abstain from further attempts to take the fortress
until our siege guns could be placed and a preliminary bombardment could
sufficiently facilitate the task of the besiegers. Meanwhile, although
the fortress and town were duly invested, our lines were somewhat remote
from the outlying forts, and the peasants of adjacent villages were, it
is said, able to pass freely to and from the town of Przemysl--a fact
which would enable the inhabitants to obtain supplies. From all
accounts neither the garrison nor the inhabitants were reduced to very
great straits for food. The announcement made at the time of the first
investment of the fortress that provisions and supplies would easily
last till May was, however, obviously exaggerated.
I understand that heavy siege guns were ready to be conveyed to Przemysl
at the end of January, but that the Russian military authorities decided
to postpone their departure in view of the determined attempts made by
the Austro-German forces to pierce the Russian lines in the Carpathians
in order to relieve the fortress, which, if successful, might have
endangered the safety of the siege material. Owing to this fact the
bombardment of Przemysl began only about a fortnight ago, when the
Austro-German offensive had so far weakened as to satisfy the Russian
authorities that there was no further danger from this quarter.
Pages:
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34