he official beginning
of the Russian mobilization, everything was in readiness for the general
advance. The next day immediately developed the first strong German
resistance. At Stallupoehnen the German First Corps from Koenigsberg,
under General von Francois, supported by two reserve corps, attempted to
stem the Russian flood. Though they succeeded in taking 3,000 prisoners
and some machine guns, they had to fall back upon Gumbinnen. The
pressure of the superior Russian numbers--four active and two reserve
corps--proved too strong. The battle front now was about thirty-five
miles long, extending from Pillkallen on the north to Goldap on the
south, with Gumbinnen in the center.

On August 20, 1914, the first real battle on the eastern front was
fought before this pretty country town, which was founded in the
beginning of the eighteenth century, and had gradually acquired about
15,000 people. General Rennenkampf used his numerical superiority for a
powerful onslaught against the enemy's center. Fourteen hours of the
most stubborn fighting--beginning at dawn and ending only with the
coming of night--resulted in the final withdrawal of the German center.
Though artillery did some preparatory work, it was the slashing thrust
of glittering bayonets in massed formations and the tearing devastation
of hand grenades that carried the day. The German wings kept up their
resistance for the next day, but finally joined the main army which had
withdrawn through Gumbinnen to Insterburg. The losses on both sides
probably were about even, amounting to at least 5,000.

The certainty of the Russian numerical superiority undoubtedly was
responsible for Von Francois's continuation of his retreat to his main
base, Koenigsberg. The Russians lost no time in following and reached
Insterburg on August 23, 1914. Practically without further opposition
all of northern East Prussia as far as the river Memel was in General
Rennenkampf's hands, Tilsit, Labiau, Tapiau, Gerdauen, Korschen,
Rastenburg, Angerburg, and Goldap indicate the limits of his conquest.
With it went four of the six railroads centering in Koenigsberg, leaving
open only the two lines running to Allenstein and Danzig, which, of
course, meant serious danger to this important German fortress.

The Russian Army of the Narew had, in the meantime, pushed its advance
with equal rapidity and success from the south. Its commander, General
Samsonoff, had won laurels in Manchuria, and had a