OCR Text |
Show DESCRIBES THE GERMAN DEFEAT; (Special War Dispatches of London Daily Telegraph). Petrograd. Oct. 6. A graphic de scrlption of au episode during the battle of Augustowo has been supplied sup-plied to the Courier bv a wounded artillery ar-tillery officer. He ays "It was during the second week ot this series of stubborn engagements The Germans were tryin to occupy the western outlets of the Augustowo forest In order to check the impetuous attacks of our troops, but all their efforts were thwarted. "The main forces of the enemy's artillery were at this time concentrated concen-trated to the west, In which direc tion the Russian army was pushing forward in an irresistible stream. On emerging from the forest our troops were met by a deadly fire from the Germans, who had occupied positions, enabling them to sweep the open grouna in trout of the trees and from three skies of a square. "To paralyze the activity of the Prussian batteries It was necessary to hold the nearest height and the command was given to occupy the position and open fire. The position In question was a high hill, the only-elevated only-elevated position among the marshes and lakes, and it dominated all the country round about. "Under the murderous fire of the enemy's shrapnel our first guns ascended as-cended the slope of the hill. The soldiers were full of energy and determination, de-termination, the gunners and infan trymen crawling between the horse3 and helping to drag the guns forward. All were pushing and pulling and gradually ascending. Belts, straps and cords were all called into use alternately being plied upon the horses ami being used with blocks of wood to prevent the wheels from slipping back. Thus they slowly bugged their way up the hill, the pant- Ing and perspiring soldiers entangled together a confused mass of struggling strug-gling humanity "At last a gun reached ihe plateau and a sigh of relief went up from the exhausted men Far below darK groups of German troops were visible, visi-ble, their fire echoing the commands of a young lieutenant Our soldiers were chuckling with delight, though the enemy was bespattering the whole bill with shrapnel, "A second and third gun werv brought up and soon the entire battery bat-tery was on the height There was a shrill whirr and a colossal projectile I from the enemy exploded with a deaf ening roar, a cloud of earth thrown up and splinters and debris sent flying fly-ing in all directions. Two horses and four men were killed by this shot; also several were wounded. "A gun fell on its broken wheel, but the gunners left It for a new one and continued their work as if nothing noth-ing had happened. P,ut the fire 6oon brought about results at about a dis-I dis-I tai;ce of a verst. Heaps of the Ger-! Ger-! man dead and disabled guns could be seen. The Germans were retiring, but the quick fire of our artillery was thundering In the retreat and the re treat became disorderly "Like mushrooms our cavalry sprung up on all sides from their positions pursued and overtook the struggling Germans. Rays of sunshine pierced the thick clouds of smoke and glinted hack from the shining cavalry swords which were hewing paths through the enemy's regiments. . "From different directions the sound of military' bands was heard and then a tremendous "hurrah" was raised and a general galloped through the ranks, congratulating the troops The cheers resounded with double force and echoed away through all the detachments of the army." oo |