gehead of Michaleze, to the northeast of the town of
Uscieszko on the Dniester River. Austrian forces immediately attempted
to regain this position, launching three separate attacks against it.
But the Russian troops held on to their slight gain. Near by, in the
neighborhood of Zamnshin on the Dniester, Russian engineers had
constructed elaborate mining works which were exploded on the same
day, doing considerable damage to the Austrian defense works, and
enabling the Russian forces to occupy some advanced Austrian trenches.

During the next two weeks considerable fighting of this nature
occurred at many points along the front from the Pripet Marshes down
to the Dniester. At no time, however, were the forces engaged on
either side very numerous, nor did the results change the front
materially. The various engagements coming so early in the year, quite
some time before spring could be expected, signified, however, that
there were more important undertakings in the air. The fact that the
Russians were especially active in these scouting expeditions--for
they really amounted to little more at that time--rather pointed
toward an early resumption of the offensive on their part.

It was, therefore, not at all surprising that, before long, a
considerable increase in Russian artillery activity became noticeable.
About the middle of March, coincident with a similar increase of
artillery attacks along the German-Russian front, the Russian guns in
South Poland, Galicia, and the Bukowina began to thunder again as they
had not done since the fall of 1915. This was especially done along
the Dniester River and the Bessarabian front.

During the night of March 17, 1916, the Austrian position near
Uscieszko, which had been attacked before in the early part of March,
again was subjected to extensive attacks by means of mines and to a
considerable amount of shelling. This was a strongly fortified
position, guarding a bridgehead on the Dniester, which had been held
by the Austrians ever since October, 1915. The mining operations were
so successfully planned and executed that the Austrians, were forced
to withdraw a short distance, when the Russians followed the explosion
of their mines with a determined attack with hand grenades. In spite
of this, however, the Austrians held the major part of this position
until March 19, 1916.

How furious the fighting was on both sides is indicated in the
official Austrian statement announcing on Mar