hrough which the railway runs to Lemberg. Here a
terrific hail of shells burst over their heads; rattle of machine
guns and rifle fire tore great holes in their ranks; the stoutest
courage and bravest hearts were unavailing against an enemy who could
not be reached nor even seen. The number of killed and wounded in
that fatal sortie has not been made public; that it was an enormous
figure is certain. The Russians took 4,000 prisoners of those who
survived the ordeal, and captured the forts on the western side
directly after the struggling remnants had regained their starting
place. General von Kusmanek issued his manifesto in the morning, and
by the same night the sortie ended in disaster. Like the misdirected
charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava in 1854, it was "brilliant,
but it wasn't war."

One more attempt was made on Saturday, March 20, 1915, toward Oikovice,
but it was easily frustrated by the vigilant Russians. On Sunday and
Monday, the 21st and 22d of March, a number of explosions were heard
in and around Przemysl. The Austrians were destroying everything
possible previous to surrendering. Large quantities of explosives were
thrown in the river; all kinds of arms were destroyed or rendered
useless; three bridges were crippled; the few remaining horses
were shot, and a railway bridge over the Wiar, which possessed no
strategic value, was also destroyed. These tactics of destroying
approaches naturally isolated the town more than ever, and made
it exceedingly difficult afterward to convey food supplies to the
starving population.

On Monday morning, March 22, 1915, the Austrian chief of staff
appeared outside the lines of Przemysl under a flag of truce. He
was blindfolded, driven by automobile to Russian headquarters, and
ushered into the presence of General Selivanoff. When the bandage
had been removed from his eyes, the Austrian officer handed over
a letter of capitulation from General von Kusmanek, which ran as
follows:

"In consequence of the exhaustion of provisions and stores, and
in compliance with instructions received from my supreme chief,
I am compelled to surrender the Imperial and Royal Fortress of
Przemysl to the Imperial Russian Army."

The Russians took charge without any triumphal display. Some officers
were sent to receive the surrender and take stock of the spoils.
General von Kusmanek himself supplied the inventory, in which were
listed 9 generals, 93 superior officers, 2,500 "Offizi