Gumbinnen, 19th August, 1914

Gospodin General-Major, the objective of the 1st Army - III (Epanchin), XX (Smirnov), and IV (Aliev) Corps - is to besiege the Prussian city of Koenigsberg.  In front of us, the Germans have fortified at Gumbinnen and hope to hold our advance there.  Meanwhile, the 2nd Army (Samsonov) is advancing northward out of Russian Poland, and an envelopment of the entire German force with both our armies is now a possibility.

Since we have mobilized before the 2nd Army, we must expect to meet the majority of the German 8th Army - I (von Francois), XVII (von Mackensen), and I Reserve (von Below) Corps - at Gumbinnen.

As the two masses will inevitably clash, maneuver will characterize this battle.