Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 75, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1914 — GERMANS RELIEVE SIEGE OF CRACOW; NEW BATTLE NEAR [ARTICLE]

GERMANS RELIEVE SIEGE OF CRACOW; NEW BATTLE NEAR

Russ Blow Blocked in Galicia by Teutons. FORCED BACK THIRTY MILES New Troops Are Being Rushed Towards Stronghold and Fight Is Developing—Czar’s Men Gain in East Prussia.

Petrograd, Dec. 24.—Russian troops virtually annihilated the Twenty-sixth Austrian brigade in an engagement in the neighborhood of Tuchow, Galicia, south of Tarnow.

According to a report from the front the Russians, on observing the advance of the brigade, slipped past on a parallel road an& surprised th© Austrian rear. The czar’s forces opened fire with machine guns and practically wiped out the brigade, which was unable to escape from the trap. During the last two days’ lighting in southern Galicia, near the Carpathians; the Russians are reported to have captured over four thousand prisoners, Including a major of the general staff and five other officers, besides three heavy guns and seven machine guns.

Rondon, Dec. 24.—Although the Germans have thus far failed to plerc» the Russian lines, they have forced the raising of the siege of Cracow, which was one of the chief aims of their offensive against the czar’s armies.

Grand Duke Nicholas has withdrawn his forces from before Cracow but reports from Petrograd say that largo bodies of troops are moving toward the Galician stronghold from the north and east and an important battle apparently is developing in southwestern Poland near Cracow. While the Germans are not relaxing their efforts along the line ff*bm Sochaczew to Sklerniewlce in the movement toward Warsaw, the greatest activity was in the vicinity of Miechow and Andrejew immediately northeast of Cracow. Fall Back Along Nida. The Russians have moved back to positions along the left bank of the Nida river near its junction with the Vistula, 30 miles east of Cracow. The objective of the Germans In this vicinity appears to be Kielce. Their front extends about seventy miles from the right bank of the Nida. Their strength is estimated by Russian military authorities to be eight to ten army corps (320,000 to 400,000 men). Gain in East Prussia. A Petrograd report says that in East Prussia the Germans have been driven back on the line from Meidenburg to Soklau. In Poland, the report adds, the Germans were successful In getting a footing on the lower Bzura, to the north of Sochaczew. Further to the south they reached the Rawka river at Bblimow. Reports German Attack. Berlin, Dec. 24.—A report from the German army headquarters in the field states that a German attack has been made in the eastern war arena, but whether the operations were directed against the Russian rear or main line is not stated.