It was a hopeless enterprise, pitifully futile. It is true that the
Austrian armies sent to relieve the city were only a few days' march
distant, but even if the 20,000 had cut a way through the investing
force they would have found another Russian army between them and their
fellow-countrymen. General Kousmanek, before they started, addressed
them. In a rousing speech he said:

Soldiers, for nearly half a year, in spite of cold and hunger,
you have defended the fortress intrusted to you. The eyes of
the world are fixed on you. Millions at home are waiting with
painful eagerness to hear the news of your success. The honor
of the army and our fatherland requires us to make a
superhuman effort. Around us lies the iron ring of the enemy.
Burst a way through it and join your comrades who have been
fighting so bravely for you and are now so near.

I have given you the last of our supplies of food. I charge
you to go forward and sweep the foe aside. After our many
gallant and glorious fights we must not fall into the hands of
the Russians like sheep; we must and will break through.

In case this appeal to the men's fighting spirit were ineffective
threats were also used to the troops, who were warned by their officers
that any who returned to the fortress would be treated as cowards and
traitors. After the General's speech the men were told to rest for a few
hours. At 4 in the morning they paraded and at 5 the battle began. For
nine hours the Austrians hurled themselves against the iron ring, until
early in the afternoon, when, broken and battered, the remains of the
twenty thousand began to straggle back to the town. Exhausted and