al opponents excepting
only Von Mackensen. The "phalanx," always kept up to full strength
by a continuous influx of reserves and provided with millions of
high-explosive shells, not only pursued its irresistible course
eastward, but had to turn now right, now left, to help Austrian
and German commanders out of trouble. Heavy howitzers lumbered
along the way to Rawa-Ruska--not to Lemberg, but to the north of
it, on the flank of the Russian army still holding the Lower San.
This army had therefore to retire northward to the river line of
the Tanev stream, cautiously followed by the archduke's forces.
The "phalanx" had again saved them from disaster. Similarly, at
Mosciska, when Boehm-Ermolli tried to storm the Russian position
by mass attacks, his infantry was driven back with such terrible
punishment that they could not be induced to make another advance.
There was nothing to be done here, but wait till Von Mackensen
turned the flank of the Russian position for them, which he did in
one of the most stubborn conflicts of the war--the battle of the
Lubaczovka, a tributary of the San between Rawa-Ruska and Lemberg.
Never were the fighting abilities of Slav and Teuton more severely
tested. For over a week the struggle raged; a half million men
were brought up in groups and flung against the Russian front.
Shell, shrapnel, bullets and asphyxiating bombs finally wore down
the Russian resistance.

Incapacitated by physical exhaustion and outnumbered by three to
one, the Russian infantry gave way on June 13, 1915. The "phalanx"
drove into their ranks and advanced rapidly in a northerly direction
on its great flanking movement. But the Russian spirit was not
broken, for at this critical moment General Polodchenko rode out
with three regiments of cavalry--the Don Cossacks, the Chernigov
Hussars, and the Kimburn Dragoons. They dashed into the unbroken
lines of the triumphant German infantry like a living hurricane,
sabered the enemy, and put thousands on the run. Swerving aside,
they next charged deep into the German rear, mauled the reserves into
confusion, hacked their way out again and captured several machine
guns. The most remarkable feature about this extraordinary exploit
was the fact that the losses sustained by the cavalry amounted only
to 200 killed and wounded. The effect on the "phalanx," however,
was such that no more attacks were made that day, and the Russians
were able to retire to the hills near Rawa-Ruska. Ivano