ince the settlement of the main fight farther north
against the Germans and mixed forces, but the Austrians were in
possession of strong fortified positions which still were giving trouble
to the Russians, in spite of their constantly increasing numbers.

It was now plain that the Russians had left the Galician front until the
Vistula front had been cleared, when a proportion of the troops released
there could proceed to add to the fighting force in Galicia, thereby
causing the retreat of the Austrians along the whole front.

On November 5, 1914, the Russians achieved what the General Staff
characterized as "the greatest victory since the beginning of the war."
This was the recapture of Jaroslav. It was announced to the Allies by
Grand Duke Nicholas in a formal message, which also stated:

"Following our successes upon the Vistula, a complete victory has just
been gained by our troops along the whole of the front in Galicia. Our
strategical maneuver has thus been crowned by what is incontestably the
greatest success gained on our side since the beginning of the war. I am
most confident of the speedy and entire accomplishment of our common
task, persuaded as I am that decisive success will be gained by the
allied armies." In the capture of Jaroslav the Russians took 5,000
Austrian prisoners.

During several days before the general Austrian retreat along the
Vistula front began, they were engaged in furious attack, their
artillery fire being especially severe. It was evidently a supreme
effort. The last engagement was over an extended front, enormous forces
striving to prevent the Russians crossing the San at a point near
Monastryzek. It was reported that reenforcements pushing over the
Carpathians in an attempt to aid them were delayed in the snow-filled
mountain passes.

We will have a better understanding of Russian tactics as worked out in
the activities just referred to, if we consider here an official
statement issued by the General Staff about this time concerning them.
It read:

"Fierce combats on the River San and south of Przemysl, which have been
going on for more than three weeks, resulted on September 5 in the
general retreat of the Austrians.

"On the preceding night the Austrians made a last effort to repulse our
troops who were crossing the San. Until a late hour the enemy attacked
on an extended front, taking the offensive in dense, successive lines,
but everywhere they suffered enormous losses an