g from Szczucin near the Vistula
north of Tarnow, down almost to the Uzsok Pass, a fierce battle
progressed between May 8 and 10, 1915. In the region of Frysztak,
where the Russian line was weakest, the main German offensive was
developing its strongest attack. Reenforcements were on the way,
but could not arrive in time. For the moment disaster was averted
by an aggressive Russian counteroffensive halfway between Krosno
and Sanok, from the Besko-Jacmierz front, by which move sufficient
time was gained to enable the main forces to retreat. The Russian
defense in the Vistok Valley collapsed on May 10, 1915; the German
center had almost arrived within striking distance of the important
railway line from Tarnow via Dembica and Rzeszow to Jaroslav north
of Przemysl. At Sanok the battered remnants of the Russian troops
who had escaped from the passes maintained themselves with the
greatest difficulty. Heavy German artillery followed the Bavarians
to Rymanow, five miles from the Russian line at Besko, and were
now playing fiercely upon the positions west of Sanok. The Tenth
Austro-Hungarian Army Corps as well as the Seventh were making
their presence felt from the southwest against Odrzechova and from
the south, whence Von Marwitz with the German Beskid Corps was
rapidly advancing. To the southeast, Boehm-Ermolli was battering
the Baligrod-Lutoviska front, almost in the same position he occupied
at the end of January in the first attempt to relieve Przemysl.

The battle was practically over by the night of May 10, 1915; the
Russians could hold out no longer against the ever-increasing flood
of Austrians and Germans pouring across every road and pathway
against their doomed line. Blasted and scorched by artillery,
machine-gun and rifle fire; standing against incessant bayonet
and cavalry charges; harassed by the Austrians from the south, the
Russians were indeed in sore straits. Yet they had fought well;
in the losing game they were playing they were exhausting their
enemies as well as themselves in men and munitions--factors which
are bound to tell in a long, drawn-out war. Above all, they still
remained an army: they had not yet found their Sedan. No alternative
lay before them--or rather behind them--other than retreat to the
next possible line of defense--toward Przemysl.

Between May 11-12, 1915, the Germanic troops occupied the districts
of Sendziszow, Rzeszow, Dynow, Sanok, Lisko, Lancut, and Dubiecko.
Przevorsk was