Romanian Campaign 1916 ,Over Carpathian Mountains

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The Marching of the Alpine Corps

The preliminary operation,to which hanged the success of the entire enterprise of the enemy,was the one given to the Alpine Corps.It was a daring operation ,with great difficulties ,which could only be executed with an elite troop.And ,truly ,the Alpine Corps ,constituted in the German Army an exceptional formation.The Bavarian Alpine Corps has been established in the spring of 1915,forseeing the entering in the war of Italy,as a special formation for mountain warfare.It was made out of Bavarians and Prusians ,only carefuly choosen men,all under 30,equiped and trained for mountain war.The corp was comprised of three regiments of three battalions each;the infantry regiment of the Bavarian guard,a regiment of hunters,Prusian,and another one Bavarian;plus,six field batteries,six mountain batteries and a heavy battery,geniu and train.One battalion had three companies;the soldiers were wearing ash-coloured uniform,with knees protections and blazers of leather;they had piolets .The three companies of the battalion were:first one of riflemen,second one of machinegunmen the third one of artillery-men which also handeled small mortiers.In the summer of 1915,the Alpine Corps fought on the Italian Front;then croosed into Serbia,were they took part at the pursiut of Serbians in their memorable retreat in the Albanian mountains.From here,it was send to France,at Verdun,were it is atributed the conquer of Fleaury Village,but has bleeded in vain ,in front of Souville Fort[16].At the Romanian war declaration ,the Alpine Corps reconstituted with elements from deposits,has been send to the Romanian Front,were it was counted on important mountain battles.After the finish of the first part of the Romanian campaign ,the Alpine Corps has been send to Vosgi then,in summer of 1917,always where there was an important hit to be given,has been retreated in Moldavia ,where it took an important part in Marasesti battle,in Panciu region.In the autumn of the same year,has been transported on the Italian Front,were it had formed the forehead of the columns of Below la Caporreto[17],Tagliamento,till Piave;in the spring of 1918 we found it in front of the famous Monte Grappa[18].The Commander of the Corps was the Bavarian General Krafft von Delmensiengen,who passed as the most distinguished German commaders.

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The Alpine Corps has started the marching in the day of 22nd of September ,four days before the attack day.The starting point has been Jina Village the highest locality of Ardeal(Transilvania)-916 meters -South of Poiana and 22 Miles towards West of Sibiu,on the Northern slopes of Sebes -Cibin Mountains.The march had to be executed perpendicular over Cibin Mountains,very large massif and accident-ed(bad terrain),which rises in a sort of amfitheatre,with the highest point, at Cindrel Peak(2240 meters high).On narrow paths ,in a deserted region,at foot of the mountain through dense forests then,up,in the high regions ,between rocks or plateaus sweeped by cold winds,the columns of the Alpiners walked for four days in the rib of our armies ,to occupy their fighting positions .This expedition,executed through such difficult regions ,deserted and without roads,by a numerous corps,carrying artillery and followed by long columns of provisions ,munitions ,formations and sanitary material,and different machines for war ,constitutes,of course, a military performance.

In two stages ,the column passes over Guga Mountains (1390 meters),Strimba(1831 meters),Cindrelu(2240 meters) and Steflesti(2236 meters).After passing Negovanu Peak,the column separated into two groups.The thick ,under the direct Command of General Tuscheck,changed direction,engaging left,goes into forced marching parallel with the frontier line and places in fighting position,on a North-South line ,from Preajba Peak(1748 meters) until Virfu Mare(2073 meters)-this exactly on the frontier.From high,the Alpiners dominate Olt Valley of Transilvania,in to the flank of provisioning line ,and retreat of the Romanian Olt Corps.Near the frontier ,at Lunci,the Bavarians install exactly in the trenche made by the Romanian troops during the time of neutrality.The second Alpiners group,in oblique direction towards right,crosses the frontier into the Kingdom,in Lotru region and installs on Robu Mountains (1905 meters),Vadu and Murgasu,forming the right wing of the Alpine Corps ,which covers them against the eventual attacks that could come from Muntenia(Central -Southern Romania,also known as Wallachia).The detachments of this group ,also had the mission to climb down in Olt Defile and cut,behind the Romanain Army,the railway and driveway,the only lines of connection of the Romanian Army with the Kingdom.In this way at 25th of September,the Alpine Corps was occupying the fighting positions.

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How was it possible such an important move to be made ,undisturbed in the flank of the Olt Romanian Corps?This is a very difficult question which was asked and is asking by everybody,from the need to establish the answers of the responsabilities of the grave defeat of Sibiu.How was it possible to let a troop,of over 10000 men,carrying an imense convoy of animals,mounted with heavy burdens ,to advance for four days ,at a distance of arround 7-18 Miles,in the rib of the Romanian Army and its communication lines?A neutral military critic,Colonel Egli of the Swiss Army,says harshly:"That it was possible the closing in of such a powerful column...to not be noticed by security Romanian service,only when it was too late,this can only be explained by condamned neglecting of the most elementary principles of service during campaign ".

It is true ,that the region between Jiu and Olt ,in a wide ness of over 44 Miles in the bird flight,very bad terrain,made out of mountain massifs with deep valleys ,was hard to be watched and offered posibilities for surprise attacks.Still ,what could have been done to prevent them has not been made.The Commandment of the Ist Army has installed a Company of Graniceri(frontier army) on Dobrunu Peak at the crossing from Sadului Valley in Lotru Valley.the situation of this company permited the observation of the two valleys.The crossing of the Alpine columns through Negovanu and Balindru,in the immediate vecinity,could not have escaped unobserved and the Romanian Commandment would have been noticed in due time.General Popovici has taken this company,though,from her place and send it to the battalion ,to increase the effectives.That is why the German columns meet only sheep-men,and only on 25th of September few rare patrols.

Some indices,proved that grave things are taking plaace on this side.One company of Vilcea regiment ,send by Colonel Mosoiu to explore the heights towards Saliste encounterd,few days before,small groups of Bavarian Alpiners and have captured even a Captain,which have made semnificative declarations over the sense of these troops.The Commander of the Romanian group has not given any importance whatsoever,to these observations and also did not give beliefe to the news which started to be reported by particular individuals or by civilian authorities about the appearance of the enemy in the rib and over the line of communication;that is why he did not take in time the proper measures imposed by the circumstances.He even considered them manoeuvres of the enemy,to impress and demobilise the fighters.Only at 25th of September he sends up the valleys of Sadu and Lotru two , mixt detachment,made out of a battalion each,of infantry with some cannons;they made contact with the enemy at 26th,when the surprise was made and the battle begun.

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In the eve of the battle

In the same time,when the Commander of the Romanian Olt Group realized ,finally, the gravity of the situation,alarming news,which came directly and also through locals of the villages,have reached the headquarter of the I-st Army and of the Big Hedquarter of Peris,determining them to take measures.A detachment of five battalions of the 20th Division,which made guard at the Danube River in Southern Oltenia,has been sent by train to Rimnicu Vilcea ,under the personal Command of the Division Commander,General Praporgescu,with the purpose to give help to the Olt Army.On the other hand the II-nd Army,at Brasov,was supposed to start with the 4th Division ,which was in Fagaras region,an offensive action against the left flank of the German Army which operated at Sibiu.Tardive decissions,which still,executed with determination,could not only ease the action of the Olt Group,but also ripp victory.

At 25th of September ,in the evening,all Falkenhayn's preparatives were finished.The two parties were in unequal situations .On the German side,there was the numeric superiority:four infantry divisions with 36 battalions and two cavalry divisions ,with a crushing superiority of weaponry in artillery and machineguns,soldiers equiped and trained for mountain warfare ,with experience earned on all important battlegrounds of Europe,commanded by a General which had one of the ilustrous names of the German Army.In front of them,the Romanian Group of Olt,made out of two infantry divisions,of 25 battalions and one cavalry brigade .The Romanian commanders were inexperienced ;they had to begin to make the school of real war ,measuring up with one of the strongest modern of armies.Especially ,Romanians had no preparation,whatsoever for mountain warfare.The foreign policy of Romania,under King Carol the first,has been dominated by the ideea of war against Russia.The ideea of war against Austro-Hungary was totaly unthinkable(excluded).So ,the total lack of mountain artillery(because Austro-Hungary is over the mountains and Russia is on this side of the mountains)-with which the actual enemy was such abundently equiped.Also ,because of the same motive,there has never been military manoeuvre in the mountains-it would have been considered as treason next to the allied Central Powers.The lack of experience in mountain warfare explains the ease with which the Alpine Corps has been able to surprise the Romanian troops.

The clever manoeuvres of the German Commander assured to his troops an overwhelming tactic superiority.Closed in the narrow Valley of Olt River,surrounded almost in every part by the metal circle of the enemy,superior in number,weapons ,conduct,with the connections cut,to Olt valley and to the Kingdom,the Romanian's situation seemed disperate.Could it be that the strenght without pair ,of the peasant soldier ,to make the wonder of escaping total desaster ,and make tha Sibiu Battle remain a defeat but not a catastrophe?

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First day of the battle

In the night of 25th -26th of September ,the 54 batteries of the German attack group,begin a violent bombardment of the Romanian positions ,reaching in the morning of the next day an extraordinary intensity.From the Romanian side it cannot be respounded with the same strenght ;they only have 16 batteries.Next to the great numerical inferiority,adds the inferiority of calibers:Romanians do not have heavy artillery as the enemy had, 42 pieces of hevy artillery,of which 12 mortiers of 21 centimeters.Not even the eight cannons of 120 mm caliber ,arrived to the Romanians in the evening eve of the beginning of battle,coud not be used because of the defectuosity of the shutters and because they were served by reserve officers ,untrained.During the night,after the strong bombardment,position Gusteritei Hill,South-East of Sibiu,the highest position which dominates Sibiu Field,is attacked by the troops of the Austro-Hungarian Brigade Thyl,strenghtened with the German Regiment de Hessa of the 76th Division and is taken with assault.A battalion of the 44th Regiment Romanian has defended it ,body against body fight ,but they had to give it up face with the crushing superiority of the enemy.

The day of 26th of September,the first day of Sibiu battle,is forecast in the morning as a splendid autumn day.From his command post,on a height North of Orlat,Falkenhayn gave the order for general attack(full attack).The principal direction of the attack was towards the positions of the left Romanian wing ,from Gura Riului(River Mouth) to Poplaca.Against this wing ,Falkenhayn throwed the concentrated troops of the entire 187th Division,sustained by a strong arttillery mass ,which engulfed the mounted artillery of the Alpine Corps.The Romanian position was defende by the 3rd Brigade of the 23rd Romanian Division.The unit was uncomplete.to defend a front of almost 12.5 Miles ,against a whole division,Mosoiu had only the four battalions of the 2nd Vilcea Regiment.only in the afternoonand by evening he received also the help of a battalion of Graniceri and one of the 42nd Infantry Regiment .

With all this great inferiority of forces ,the Romanians fought brave and rejected all enemy attacks.Cioara(Crow) Hill has been all day defended by two companies of the 2nd and 42nd Regiments;all the attack waves of the enemy have been throwed back with hand grenades.A last enemy attack,tried with one volunteers detachment ,has been bloody rejected at 4 in the afternoon,after which,the enemy has tried nothing.Ursul(Bear) Hill ,defended by the Graniceri Battalion with an artillery section,has been also attacked in vain ,by two enemy battalions.

At the center and left wing of the attack group(Divisions 51st and 76th),the Germans have installed on all the heights North -East of Sibiu a numerous artillery,which all day bombards the Romanain positions,the infantry attacks do not succeed to take out the Romanians of their positions.Schmettow Group,sustained by heavy artillery -the 10,5 cannons of the Alpine Corps-positioned at Cirta,manages to cross Olt River and to sneak between Avrig and Porumbacu the 3rd German Cavalry Division,positioning it as a falang perpendicular over the road that goes, from Fagaras to Sibiu,to isolate Olt group by the II-nd Romanian Army.of the three Regiments of the Division,Regiment de"Chevaux-Legers"[19] was facing West,towards olt Corps,and the two Husars Regiments facing East,towards Brasov.

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On the Souther side,the detachments of the Alpine Corps manage to close in ,to Turnu Rosu(Red Tower) Pass and occupy positions in the imediate edge of the defile at Boita,at Turnu Rosu train station ,at Riul Vadului and at Ciineni.Here was the great danger.Here is focused all attention ,of the attacker and of the defender.Will the enemy succeed to close up the pass ,then Romanians are lost.It is catastrophe.

General Popovici sends a strong detachment -48th Regiment,the reserve of Olt Corps-towards South ,to clean up the defile by the enemy.But in the same time ,without the knowing of the commander ,a more eficient action is organized at ciineni towards north.An Officer of the Headquarter of Olt Corps ,Liet-Colonel Popescu Toma,coming back from Craiova with the secret mail at the headquarter of the corps,has been stopped at Ciineni by German machineguns ,which occupied positions on Vladul hill and at Lunci,as the enemy patrols advanced through the defile towards the bridge over Olt River ,towards Ciinenii of Argesi.Realising the gravity of the situation and of the great danger threatening the Romanian Corps,Popescu summons from the village the only 13 peasants left there-the others had run away-arms them with German rifles fron the village hall,fills their shirts bossom with crtridges ,and framing them between a geandarm sergeant and a pioneers one,which were there by chance,gets them into the trenches of Malu Hill,West of Olt River bridge.

Time of three clocks ,the 13 Peasants -15 with their Commanders-seated rare in the trenches ,have fired with missfortune and great use of bullets(whithout economy),in the German patrols which appeared either on defile,or on the hills in front :Vladului and Chitanet.Misslead by this fire ,thinking they have to deal with a strong position,the German Alpiners have stopped.Making use of this delay,Popescu took,out of his own initiative,more important measures.At Brezoi was a Hunters Battalion and two obusier batteries.Few platoons,sustained by obusiers(shells) have bben send up the valleys ,to make demonstrations to misslead the enemy over about real forces.Two and a half companies have been brought to Ciineni,an a battery of obusiers has arrived in horses gallop on the driveway.At 4 in the afternoon ,the defense of Ciineni has been organized with the help of these troops;the brave peasants have ben taken out of the trenches and put to defend the bridge downslope of Ciineni.the obusiers have opened fire over Vladului Hill and Olt defile,and after some minutes the Romanians could find out from a group of seven prisoners that they have the honor to have in front the Bavarian Guard Regiment ,freshly arrived from Verdun,under the direct Command of Prince Henric of Bavaria,nephew of brother of Bavarian King.

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Thanks to this act of initative and of the heroic atitude of a handful of old peasants ,which were defending their lands and village,the narrow corridor could not be closed by the enemy at Ciineni.Still ,in the long of the defile there have been many points exposed to to cannon fires and machine guns installed by the enemy on the western shore of Olt River,and many bloody fights ,sometimes chest to chest,have been given between the Romanian patrols and enemy detachments.That is why,the Romanian Commander send troops to strenghten the detachments in Sadului Valley and on other side valleys ,to try with them to unblock the defile.In this way passed the first day of the battle ,without bringing to the German Commander the quick victory,they expected so sure.He cannot hide his uncontent and concern.He has received unrestful news from the neighbour fronts and knows that those events could well influence the unfolding of Sibiu battle,if he not manages to obtain a quick victory.So,at Jiu the Germans have been away-ed from their positions by the threat of a surrounding move ;the Romanians have re-conquered Petrosani.Towards East,the extending of the battle could bring the intervention of the II-nd Army.Towards South ,the closing of the defile is not complete and,ofcourse,there are other passes as well,not written on the maps,which coud give the Romanians a safe retreat.That is why,Falkenhayn gives orders that in the next day(second day),the action to be restarted with greater violence and takes from the 89th Division,Prusian,to his dispozition by von Arz,a Regiment of Infantry and a section of obusiers,to strenghten even more the army effectives.

At his turn,the Romanian Commander realises the gravity of the situation.The manoeuvre ,with which he wants to respond to the enemy is,to pivot arround his right ,which will stay on place to connect with the left flank of the II-nd Army which comes from Fagaras.The left wing ,west by Olt ,will be retreated a little,not wanting to losse the conquered terrain.That is why,Mosoiu Brigade is retreated from the position which he defended with so much stuborness,on a line a little back ,which passed on the heights North of Cisnadie -Obrejii hill-West of Rasinari.Especially that,the Romanian Commander will sick to clean his back,Olt pass,for the security of the communication line where he awaited helps.

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Second day

In the second day of the battle ,27th of September ,te fight is begun with fury on the whole line of battle ,on a stretch of 50 Miles.The central group of Staabs attacks with all the power of his three divisions ,precedenting the attack of a violent prepare of artillery.Popovici keeps the fighting front with 20 battalions belonging to Olt Corps;the rest of five are send towards South ,to face the attack of the Alpine Corps and clear Olt Pass .The principal attack of the enemy is given against the left Romanian wing.The brave troops of the 23rd Division resist vigorous and cannot be taken out of their positions of Valea Rea-Cioara(Bad Valley-Crow),but only when ,by a combined attack of the 187th Division ,German,and of the alpine detachments,the enemy occupyes Onesti Plateau(1774 meters),which dominates fron great height thee Romanian positions from flank and from the back.

In the eve of the evening ,a German battalion ,coming from Rasinari ,surprises the line of Romanian avan-posts,which run and enter Cisnadioara.Arrived in the market of the village ,they are ,all of a sudden attacked by the troops of the Romanian battalion ,which awaits them in hide.Surrounded,the Germans escape by running,after leaving on the terrain over 150 dead and wounded.The Commander of the German sector is forced to admit that"the Romanians have put up quite a fight".

The right side of the 23rd Division,constituted by so called "Combined Brigade"(44th Infantry Regiment and two battalions of Graniceri),which occupy Selimbar,could not mentain because of the violent bombardment of enemy artillery from Gusteritei Hill and the advance of a strong Austro-Hungarian column,which was coming from Sibiu.At 1 in the afternoon ,the 23rd Division,has started retreat to the second position ,South of line Rasinari -Selimbar.Thanks to the strong conduct of the 1st Graniceri Regiment ,the connection between Romanian, 23rd Division(at the left) and 13th Division(at the right) is kept intact.The Romanian troops at the left occupy strong the new positions ,on one side and the other of Cisnadioarei,in front of which the enemy consumes himself till evening in futile attacks.

At the right of the Romanian wing,the 13th Division has been attacked and bombarded with heavy artilley .At Sacadate ,from Glimboaca direction,as at Avrig,from Sarata direction.helped by the formidable bombardment ,a Hanovez Regiment manages to seize Bucatei Hill,leaving the Romanians to evacuate it.but troops of the 13th Division ,coming from Bungard ,reoccupy the hill in violent counterattacks. The Hanovez-ers are forced to evacuate also Selimbar.All the afternoon are given bloody fights in this sector;the Hungarian Regiment escapes the difficult situation in which he finds ,with heavy losses ,only thanks to the intervention of the important reinforcements of the neighbour 76th German Division.

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The curtain of German cavalry continues to close the road from Fagaras ,occupying Olt shore between the two villages Porumbacu;an enmy detachment could occupy the heights La Cetate (at the Fortress),seaking to obstacle from there,the circulation of Romanians through Scara(Ladder) Pass..In Olt Defile ,things were not going at all,for the Germans "conform with the plan".Nowhere the Bavarian Alpiners could occupy the driveway,not to mention croosing over it.All over,the Romanian troops ,fighting with despair ,repulse him back,causing significant losses ,espacially to the Bavarian Guard Regiment,at Vadului River and Ciineni. ,The Battalion of Bavarian Guard ,Commanded ,as we know,by the Prince which have seized for a brief moment the train station at Ciineni,has been rejected back into the mountain with heavy losses.From the South ,troops of the 20th Division have started to arrife on the fighting front ,attacking the positions of the Bavarian Alpiners over the Mountains Robu and Murgasu.

Falkenhayn shows very unpleased of the result of the second day of the battle;in his memoirs he is forced to admit again the "braveness of Romanians".The situation of the Alpine Corps seems concerning to him;he is desilusioned by the attack of the principal group.What preocupies him mostly is that there are signs more and more precise ,that he will be attacked in the left flank by the II-nd Army and that he would not be able to opose to this side attack ,enaugh forces,if the already started battle is not finished.With all the uncertainty and fear,the German Commander thinks he must not give up the initial plan of the battle.That is why,in the evening of 27th he gives the order to Staabs that in the next day,early in the morning,to restart the attack on the whole battlefield "without mercy" of men and material,putting also into the battle the units taken from the 89th German Division,freshly arrived;he also sends to the left wing reinforcements ,for more security of this wing ,weak and perilled.Under the threat of dezastre,which he sees as iminent and of the responsibilities which overwhelms him,the Romanian Commander start lossing head.He thinks "he is betrayaled on the whole line",he sees spies everywhere and writes to the Commander of the I-st Army that all the population must be slaughtered;he talks about War Council and hanging...His all hopes goes to the intervention of the II-nd Army,of which set to move has been signalled to him by a cavalry patrool;he connects the faith of the battle by the arriving in time of this troop in the fighting zone.As a precautionary measure ,he takes the dispozition that the trains and columns of the division of Olt Corps to group at the mouth of the defile ,in the ideea of a retreat.

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The third day

In the third day of the battle-28th of September-the situation of the Romanian Army has become critical.Exhausted by the losses suffered in the two days of battle ,with an enemy which was attacking her continuously and from all directions ,with crushing superiority,with the downed moral because of the news of closing the defile,which was known by now ,with the usual exagerations ,by the whole army,she supports still,with manhood a frightening bombardment in the morning of the day,on the line Magura-Vestem,disposed in arch arround Talmaciu Village,where there was the Headquarter of the Group.Numerous enemy airplanes were throwing bombs over our convoys,which were sneaking between Talmaciu and Boita ,over the train stations pf Porcesti and Sebes,and over talmaciu Village.The Romanians did not had aeroplanes to counterbeat them.The chief forcing of the enemy was aimed still over the right wing of the 23rd Romanian Division.With all the failures of the last two days,the enemy was pursuing the plan of turning of this wing ,through Sadului Valley for to,by the concorded action of the 187th German Division with the one of the Alpine Corps,the closing over,of Olt Pass and surrounding of Olt Romanian Corps , be complete."The Great plan" of Falkenhayn must be with any price acomplished.

The 3rd Brigade (Colonel Mosoiu),which was forming at all times the left wing of the 23rd Romanian Division must,in its turn,to save the defense situation by stubborn resistance.The rows of the brigade are thinned.The biggest part of 42nd Regiment has been send at the right wing of the 23rd Division ;at the left flank has remained only Balanescu's Detachment,of a power of six companies ,on Magura Peak,with the order to not leave the position under any word.The Brigade resists furiously to the enemy's attacks ,which has an overwhelming superiority.At 2,30 in the afternoon ,the enemy has seized Cisnadie and Cisnadioara.A company and a half,of the 2nd Vilcea Regiment gives a vigorous counterattack through the forest of Cisnadie,and rejects the Germans with bayonets to South of Cisnadie .At the right side of the brigade at the connection point with the Combined Brigade,the resistance wekens.A breach is made in Romanian center,through which powerful German columns ,in attack waves ,are advancing fast towards North of Talmaciu,where there were the havy batteries of the Romanian Division.The advance of the enemy is threatening to turn the two internal wings of the said Romanian Brigades.But a mountain Romanian battery,by a precise firing range ,dams the advance of the enemy.And ,in the same time ,a new Romanian counterattack ,given with troops of the 2nd Vilcea Regiment and 5th Hunters Regiment ,hits the ahead enemy column ,rejects it back to Vestem,as the enemy cannons fire with fury Talmaciu.

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Towards evening,the retreat movement of Romanians is pronouncing on the whole battlefield.The hope of arriving of the II-nd Army from Fagaras is getting weaker by the minute.The Commander of Olt Corps has lost contact with the 13th Division ,which is in retreat towards South.The enemy has seized Vestem and Avrig .His artillery is beating now behind the position at Talmaciu,North of Boita.The aeroplanes are throwing bombs over the convoys which are pouring South and over train stations at Porcesti and Sebes.The shrapnels fall in the yard of the headquarter of Olt Corps producing panic in the fighting trains .The Commander of the Corps,convinced that the battle is lost gives the retreat order.

The enmy enters at nine in the evening in Talmaciu.Exhausted as well,and of heavy losses ,has not the power to attack anymore and cease the fight ,without obtaining and today the much awaited result.

The 3rd Brigade had retreated over the heights South of Sadu,where it kept the resistance until 10 in the evening when,after cease of the fight ,the Commander of the brigade also starts the retreat towards Talmaciu,with the goal to make contact with the Romanian troops,wich he thought to still bethere.Numerous enemy troops advance to the Western flank of the Brigade.Balanescu's detachment,remained isolated on the heights of Magura,with the strict order of General Carstris to not leave the position under any circumstance ,is surrounded and captured.In the mountains near the Defile ,same situation as the day before.The Alpiners do not succeed in any place to master the defile.They must stay in defensive .from South,the troops of the 20th Division are advancing ,attacking the positions in the mountains between Lotru and olt.From the North ,a detachment constituted by two battalions of Graniceri,starting from Boita,climb hard the mountain ribs ,forested ,fighting facing South ,attack at bayonet the Alpiners wherever they meet them.,rejects them from Vincei Ridge ,taking them 7 machineguns ,which they destroy.The fight go on till late in through the night when,informed that the thick of Romanian troops retreats ,Graniceri(frontier army) descend again to Boita.through the woods ,through the darkness isolated by any troops,the retreat is made shamelesly.One of the two battalions is surrounded and captured by the enemy.At Ciineni,the Bavarian Alpiners are definitely rejected ,but the driveway in the defile,remains ,in some points,exposed to the enemy fire.

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The intervention of the II-nd Army

The unfolding of the battle of Sibiu starts to be influenced from outside.Towards East important events are taking place,which bring rays of hope in the souls of Romanian Olt Corps Commanders ,but unrest the German Commander.

The II-nd Army has engaged the offensive action towards West and its effects start to feel.The 4th Romanian Division ,rejecting the enemy detachments ,arrived in the evening of the day at Arpas;only 7.5 Miles parted her by the left wing of Falkenhayn .Divisions 3rd and 6th were advancing in the empty space between the IX-th Army and I-st Army of Arz,threatening the back of Falkenhayn.Arz was resisting with difficulty to the Northern Romanian Army and was retreating the Southern wing in front of Romanians attacks.Unfortunatelly ,the action of opening,started from the East, it is started to late and with too much slow ,to be able to decisively influence over the unfolding of the battle of Sibiu.Still.the German Commander realises the threat.His eyes remain focused ,with unrest,especially in Fagarasi Mountains direction,at the progress of the 4th Romanian Division.If he cannot continue the resistance to the East,until after the ending of Sibiu battle,he losses not only the battle ,but the whole situation in Transilvania.He takes measures of strenghtening of the resistance in the face of II-nd Romanian Army and Northern Romanian Army,bu he also count on the lack of energy of the Romanian Commandment:"The Romanian Command has proceeded till now,extraordinarily hesitating and unsure.Same were the moves of the Romanian troops.Though it is without doubt that "the Romanian soldier,taken aside,was fighting with heroism,it is obviously for the Romanians very hard to coordinate the isolated troops in an ansamble action".With these ideeas the German Commander remained unmoved in the beliefs which dictated his plan of operations.He takes again dispozitions,that in the next day,29th of September ,to exterminate Olt Corps,to be able to then,turn all his forces towards the enemy threatening from rising sun(East).He asks,in the same time ,his comrade Arz to keep with any price ,the positions in the face of II-ns and IV-th armies ,Romanians.This day will have to decide,not only the faith of the battle of Sibiu,but that of Transilvanian campaign.Falkenhayn confesses:"Very rarely in my life,pretty rich in dramatic culminant points,I have awaited for the result ,with more apprehension that in the morning of 29th of September".

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The retreat of Olt Corps.

Unfortunately,Falkenhayn fears have disipated with the dawns of 29th of September.The Romanian army South of Sibiu had break the fight and was in retreat.

The troops of Olt Corps ,exhausted,did not have the power to resist anymore.The saving intervention of the II-nd Army had not produced in the necessary time.General Crainiceanu had not arrived at Olt,same as Grouchy did not arrive at Waterloo.In the evening of 28th of September,the Commander of the Corps have given the order of general retreat.Artillery columns and carriages had to start retreat imediately through Olt Defile,and the infantry of divisions had to start the move the next day,making use of all the paths and places of crossing over the heights of the mountains,one side and the other of the Defile.The 23rd Division had to begin the retreat from Boita position,and the 13th Division from Porcesti direction.The contact with the latter one has been broken,so the order has been sent indirectly ,through the 23rd Division.The retreat through the Defile has started even in the night of 28th-29th of September ;it is executed in very dramatic circumstances.Along Olt River,on 9-15 Miles lenght ,the Defile is so narrow ,that it is hardly room for driveway and railway.From Boita to Vadului River they follow ,one on one shore,the other the oppsite shore,for then,from Vadu River to Ciineni to both be on the Western shore of Olt River.Only here and there a meadow and a grapes growing.On the driveway and on the railway crowded the unfinished columns of men and animals,artillery,carriages,herds,seeking in haste to escape the narrow.There were more than 2000 vehicles of all sorts ;cannons of all calibers ,from the 120 mm one to the 53mm,dragged by oxes ,pears of four or three for a carriage,or the ones with eght,six,four and two horses ;captured carriages in fighting trains ,administrative convoys,ammunition columns ,sanitary carriages ,aviation park.The conductors and acompanies of carriages,armed or unarmed ,ordonances of officers or platoons,climbed in carriages or taking by the hand horses ,cows,dogs,luggages etc...complicated the imense convoy,which moved in to the darkness of the night with difficulty.There were given most severe orders,to walk in absolute quiet,like in a procession,without shouts,without talk.Order and silence were difficult to keep in this mass of men with drowned moral,nervous,anxious to escape the unending Defile,made hard by the long convoys of animals and vehicles.

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In the middle of the columns the General Commander,surruonded by its staff,accompanies on foot the convoy.He has left the Headquarter of Talmaciu in the last moment,by nightfall,as the projectiles have started to fall over the quarter.Defended by an Infantry Guard ,the Commander which have lost the battle ,was forcing himself,that by his strenght of character and personal action,to save the retreat.At evry step,teams of policemen and relevation had to intervine to put order in the move of the columns.Many people taken down by exhaust and dizzied by sleep ,were stopping in the driveway trenches felling asleep.In some of the places the driveway narrows ,grasped between Olt River and the stone wall,that only two vehicles side by side could go at once.Closing off,the driveway was producing panic ,overcrowdings,confussions ,felling into the water;the order was reestablished then with difficulty..What was giving,though ,to the retreat the most tragic character ,were enmy's attacks .In some places or lateral valleys ,hidden in terrain crests or behind the stone walls and abrupt of the Defile,nested in Romanians own trenches or others ,dug just then and there,the German shooters were firing in full in to the crowds ,in the valley.The rattelings of the guns or machineguns were mixing with the roars of the water magneticwavelike movements ,with the shouts of people and the screams of animals ,repeated and enhanced by Defile's echos,rising up in to the sky in a frightening woof.The Defile was becoming,in this way,here and there a real hell.In this criticla points had to be organized fighting detachments to attack the enemy,to away him,open up the road and permit the continuation of the retreat movement.

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At the mouth of Lotrioara,near Vadului River,in the power of night,the road has been barricaded,at the passing of the driveway onto a wooden small bridge,by the multitude of killed horses or wounded, by the machineguns,fired from close distance,and by the turned upside down carriages.The enemy was firing from underneeth the bridge ,and also from the vecinity of it.It has to be put into position a cannon of 53 mm to away him and reestablish the road.Towards morning,a detachment of the Bavarian Guard,which had occupied with machineguns the cantoon of point Lunci and neighbouring heights,attacks the center of the Romanian column in retreat,producing panic an disorder.A Romanian detachment crossed a bridge ,over Olt River in full enemy fire,going then through the railway tunnel;helped by another detachment ,which have gone arround the enemy ,through the back,through the mountains ,acomplishing to surround the enemy which have been runthrough bayonet,until the last one of them ,together with their officer in command.One mile further South from Lunci cantoon a new enemy attack with machineguns ,it is produced.By the energic action of a Granicer battalion ,coming from South,the enemy was runned away and pursued into the mountains.

In the afternoon of 29th of September ,at 2 o'clock,the firsts of the carriages of the column appeared at the Southern exit Defile and entered in Ciineni;the village was occupied by troops of the 20th Division.Almost entire artillery has been saved .Many wagoons with ammunition and provisions ,crushed ,had to be left on the road,,or pushed in Olt River.Hundreds of free horses rambled for days through the pass and the neighbouring woods,and the rapid waters of Olt have carried in the valley many bodies of men and animals.The infantry retreat has been made as the dispositions taken,on several paths in the mountains .The enemy who did not know this paths ,especially the ones built lately,hve not pursued.That is why,different units,which had the order to retreat"through wherever they can" or"however the God will enlight them" have been able to pass without losses ,saving them entirely.One part of the 13th Division's troops have tried to retreat towards East,on fagaras road;here,though,the road was closed by the troops of General Schmettow.That is why ,they passed through the mountains towards South ,over the high edges of Suru and Scara Peaks.One part of the regimentar trains of the 13th Division and Calarasi Brigade,not being able to reach the Defile ,have been captured by the enemy.Granicerii(frontier army) under the enrgic Command of Colonel Cantacuzino,have covered at Boita the retreat of Olt Corps,then stayed on the position at Coti,on the frontier,on the same places from where they started with hope and elan in the evening of 28th of August.The ridge of the mountains have been strenghtened by them during the summer with systematic build trenches.

From the South,the troops of General Praporgescu have managed to reestablish completely the communication through the Defile,repulsing the enemy ,also, over the heights West of Olt River.Village Ciineni,as the heights of Murgasu and Vladu,were in the hands of Romanians .The troops of Olt Corps,decimated ,with big losses of men and especially material-carriages,automobiles,sanitary trains-were saved and could breath,occupying new positions over the heights in the right side and left side of Olt River,this side of the frontier.At 30th of September,the troops of the 23rd Division were concentrating at Titesti,and those of the 13th Division at Boisoara and the surroundings.At Ciineni was to be found Ciineni Group-5 battalions-and in Lotru Valley and Olt Valley was Praporgescu 's Detachment,made up of the troops of 20th Division.

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The defeat

The battale of Sibiu was now over.The Olt Corps have been defeated ;together with the battle ,the course of Romanian offensive in Ardeal(Transilvania).Only now,towards East,the advanced troops of the II-nd Romanian Army have finally arrived to fall on the left wing of Schmettow and to give the glorious battle,but of no use now,at Porumbacu...

Falkenhayn is victorious at Sibiu.It was not ,though,the decisive victory,crushing,which the German General intended,prepared with so much strategical science and followed ,for three days,with so much cold blood.trust and tenacity.The German official comunicate ,of 30th of September trumpeted to the world the great victory:"The number of prisoners and the considerable prey","the number of prisoners keeps rising" etc.The next day ,the great victory takes modest proportions:3000 prisoners and 13 cannons!To faten the picture,the comunicate was counting the carriages and wagoons left on the rails ,as well.Moreover,the Romanian comunicate could announce that ,in their retreat towards Ciineni,the Romanian troops have taken the enemy 300 prisoners and 5 machineguns.

Sibiu have not been a Sedan or a Tanneberg of the Romanian Army.The surrounding planned by the enemy did not succeed.Olt Corps,defeated in the great battle given with its powerful adversary,could retreat.The inexperience or neglect of the High Command of this army have exposed the troops,from the beginning ,in a tactical situation,almost disperate.In exchange,though,the initiative of some of Commanders in sub order,which took initiative on their own responsability,and especially the heroism showed by the soldiers,which fought like lyons,individual ,and in groups,have managed to clear the army by the metal circle in which she has been grasped and transformed in to a heroic epode what could have become a shameful desaster.It cannot be brought a more diserved omage to these troops ,but only by giving the word of the enemy.The German war correspondent Koester*,which have watched the fight from the Headquarter of the German Commander,writes:'The Battle of Sibiu was given against a stuborn enemy.The one who would try to shame the heroism of the enemy,to diminish its conduct,would comit the gravest mistake against our own troops.The Romanian(soldier) have prove today that he is better lead than in the last year the Serbs crowds ,that he is in a total different manner supported by the Entente.His tactical countermeasures and strategical ones,as his own operative ideeas ,betrays almost everywhere the spirit and energy of German education.If he was defeated in the great battle of surrounding at Sibiu,the cause is not his incapacity,but the maester command ,in the same time circumspect and bold of our chiefs and the superiority of the German soldier...."**.

The epilogue of the drama followed fatal.General Popovici,the Commander of the Olt group,has been replaced in Command by General Praporgescu David.

*Known German writer.After the closing of peace he was part of different ministies of Germany,as Internal and Foreign minister.

**Not knowing what was going on in Romania ,the German war correspondent gives wrong explanations,which ,the reader wil rectify himself.

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7.The Battle between Olt and Mures.

28th of September-4th of October.

Helpping the Olt Corps.

The Battle of Sibiu,have painfully impressed the Romanians.Not so much the defeat.In a war is fatal to receive blows ,not only to give.Especially when is the first serious collision with a superior adversary,in number and preparations,as the Germans.What was bittering the Romanians souls and brought over them unrest,were the conditions in which the battle have been given,and which brought the defeat.The surprise at Ciineni was the proof of shallowness and neglect.So,Turtucaia[20] was repeating itself.Truly,in smaller proportions,but in similar circumstances.The moral diminishes of the Commandment ,which showed,were the same.We haven't learned ,yet,nothing.The most important thing to do now,was the damming of the danger.For the time being,it did not seem to great,and the means we had in Ardeal(Transilvania) seemed suficient to the Romanian Commandment .Even,during the unfolding of Sibiu Battle,the Big Headquarter,alarmed by the critical situation of Olt Corps,took the decission which imposed in an imperative mode:the lighting of the position of the attacked army,by an energic offensive action,enterprised by the II-nd Army and by the Northern Army,with the direction from East to West.,to hit into the flank of the IX-th German Army and threaten her back.The order,started in the morning of 27th of September,the second day of Sibiu Battle.The troops of the two armies have to begin their movement even in the same day.The II-nd Romanian Army had to occupy the line Hirtibaciului,indicated by the localities Cornatel-Agnita-Iacobeni-Bradeni.The Northern Army had to arrive on the line Sovata-Praid Chibed-Cristuru Secuiesc-Saschiz(South East of Sighisoara).

The action,if conducted with speed and energy-had to turn the roles and transform Falkenhayn ,from attacker in to attacked one,forcing him to put himself into defensive,liberating Olt Corps of the pressure of the enemy.The Romanian counteroffensive for release,unleashing the two armies ,at the right side of Olt Corps,have gave birth to a gret battle ,stretched on the whole fighting front of Ardeal(Transilvania),of Fagaras Mountains to upper Mures River Valley ,engaging almost in totality the forces of the two enemies.

Unfortunately,the intention with which it was enterprised was not realised.The movement of the II-nd Romanian Army was not made with the speed,promptitude and energy needed,to be able to fall,in due time,in the flank and back of the IX-th German Army of Sibiu.The units of the II-nd Army,wasted and entangeled futile and imprudent in movements of tactical exercises,could not be gathered and aimed towards thheir objective,but only with a delay which gave the enemy necessary time to finish Sibiu Battle and then turn his sword against the new adversary.

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The Offensive of the II-nd Army

In the afternoon of 27th of September,the advance dispozitions of the II-nd Army have been communicated to the troops.The army had to set to move with all three divisions and namely,with the 4th Division at the left,the 3rd Division at the center and the 6th Division at the right.The 4th Division,starting from Fagaras,along Olt River at Talmaciu.A little to the North,the 3rd Division had to follow the road Crihalma-Cincu Mare-Agnita.At the right wing the 6th Division,starting from Rupea,will advance through Barcut towards Bradeni.The 2nd Brigade of Calarasi will protect the left flank of the 4th Division and the 3rd Brigade of Calarasi,the right flank of 6th Division establishing the link,through the 2nd Division of Cavalry,in Saschiz region,with the Northern Army.

The 4th Division set to move in the evening of 27th of September,between Fagaras Mountains ,at the left and Hirtibaciu River at the right,having as ax of advance ,Olt Valley.The move was a daring one ,promising of beautiful results,but also full of risks.It elongated far the front of the II-nd Romanian Army,which was easy to incline from North-East_South-West,making a dangerous portrussion(out-ing) towards West and exposing the flank from North to enemy attacks,which occupyed Hirtibaciu line.Other than this,the advance was made on a narrowed corridor,along Olt Valley,having in the left the high wal of Carpathian Fagaras Mountains ,with heights between 2000-2500 meters,without any mountain pass ,and on the right hand side was the enemy line.Another retreat was also only the same route.But in this war,more than any othe enterprise ,fortune favours the brave.And then,at the end of the road was Olt Corps which,caught in turmoil,was beating and reaching his arms,calling to God .

The troops of the 4th Division advance on two columns .One North of Olt,rejects at Calbor four enemy escadrons ,attacks again the enemy at Cincsor,where it aways him and in the evening of 28th of September occupies Rucar ,on Olt.The column which operates South of Olt advances hard in a terrain which is crossed avery step of the way with streams and water torrents,which come from the mountain to fall into Olt River,separated between them by hill edges with quick slopes.The column occupies Vistea de Sus(upper) and Vistea de Jos(lower),repulsing the enemy avanguards.At Ucea de Sus,6th Hunters regiment attacks 18th German Husari Regiment,repulsing it beyond Oprea-Cirtisoara.After a night of heavy marching and collisions through the darkness between patrols,in the morning of 29th of September,the Romanians enter Arpasu de Sus;de Sus(=upper),de Jos(=lower).

At the center of the II-nd Romanian Army,the 3rd Division hits strong the enemy occupying Rodbav with unmounted cavalry,infantry and eight cannons,defeats it,capturing 200 prisoners and pursue it till beyond Cincu Mare,which occupies in the evening of 28th-29th of September.The right wing of the II-nd Army,the 6th Division,starts from Colham,attacks between Steaua and Fiser the enemy-troops of the 71st Austro-Hungarian Division-taking as prisoners 2 officers and 100 soldiers;crushing the oposing resistance,occupies in the evening the line Barcut-Moha.The right of 71st Austro-hungarian Division was throwed back towards Bradeni,behind Hirtibaciului.Fearful of the turning of its right wing,von Arz gives the order to 71st Division to retreat behind line Bradeni-Iacobeni.At the right extremity,the 3rd Calarasi Brigade ,have seized through fight Fiser and Bunesti.

The II-nd Army hase made in the day of 28th of September a formidable jump.Spreading away the enemy forces which she met in her way,she was to be found unfolded in the evening of the day on a front of 37 Miles ,drawing an arch of circle which leaned with the left on Fagaras Mountains at Arpas,and with the right touched the region between Homorod and Tirnava Mare.The heads of the columns of 4th Division ,the most advanced ,were at 7 Miles from line Porumbacelor(because we have Upper Porumbacu and Lower Porumbacu),occupied by the Husars of Schmettow ,the left wing of the IX-th German Army.

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The Fight of Hundrubechiu(Movile)

The unfolding of the offensive of the II-nd Romanian Army emotions deeply Falkenhayn.He is under the impression that ,he goes through a grave crisis,which can become a catastophe.Between the Austro-Hungarian Cavalry Division stretched between Olt and Hirtibaciu Valley and 71st Division it has produced an empty space ,of about 12.5 Miles ,where the enemy has no troops whatsoever;through here,General Crainiceanu could sneak through and turn the flank of IX-th German Army,in the culminant moment of Sibiu Battle.That is why,Falkenhayn cunjures Arz, at thlephone,to revoke the order of retreat of the 71st Division;she has to make front on the line Mesendorf-Archita and resist with any price,to permit ,by the back ,to the 89th German Division, to run ,in forced marching,on the front and fill the empty space.So ,by evening,the 89-th Division,made out of Berliners-Commander General Luttwitz-arrives on the front and occupies the heights between Retisdorf (Retis) and Hundrubechiu.The connection was reestablished and the enemy line closed in the face of 6th Romanian Division.

Falkenhayn constitutes ,out of Divisions 89th and 71st a new group,which puts under the Command of General Morgen.His mission is to defend Hirtibaciu line ,in the center of the enemy dispozitive in Ardeal(Transilvania),opposing the biggest resistance at the advance trials of the Romanian Divisions 3rd and 6th towards Sighisoara,which would have caused the break of the center of the enemy and the turnning of his interior flanks.It would have been,firstly,the saving of the Romanian Group of Olt,and secondly,ruining the whole fighting plan of Falkenhayn,the lossing of Transilvania campaign.

The 6th Romanian Division in the morning of 29th of September from Barcut-Moha towards West,on two columns :the 12th Brigade on the right side and 11th Brigade on the left.In its marching,the right hand side column collided with the 89th German Division,which from Retisdorf was going towards Hundrubechiu and Jalisteat(Selistat).

The phalanx-guard of the column , a battalion of 12th Cantemir Regiment,Romanian, going to Iacobeni,is attacked at the edge of the forest Lempes by superior German forces from Retis direction ,rpulsed,and spread, and in part ,captured.The thick of the Column ,advancing towards Hundrubechiu,meets a formidable resistance .The enemy infantry ,occupies trenches ,on the edge of the forest on the hill La Dumbrava,stretching to the right side ,until Dorului Peak(height 631 meters).From the West and South -West of Merghindeal-the enemy artillery ,especially heavy artillery,throws rain of projectiles.Airplanes fly in the air ,driving the artillery firing range which becomes more and more precise.The soldiers of the II-nd Army ar forced to notice ,that today,they have in front of them,another enemy than the one before.

The Romanian infantry advances to attack ,hard,in the bullet rain and of shells.The heavy German artillery has framed the Romanian Divizion of Artillery,which was firing from Mesteacanu Hill and destroys its cannons;the servants ,remained alive are overwhelmed by panic and leave the cannons.From the right side ,the brigade is attacked by troops which have repulsed the Romanian phalanx-guard;the whole 89th German Division falls now over 12th Romanian Brigade.The runaways increase the panic caused by bombing ,the troop,not used with heavy fight (Romanian),enters disband.From the small valley ,near Mesteacanu Hill,eves the 3rd Hunters Regiment,the reserve of the Romanian Division.The Hunters attack with bayonet,seize back three cannons from the divizion and aways the enemy,sending him back to its positions.The brigade is thus ,saved;she can retreat now,with losses,which are serious especially to Cantemir Regiment .During the night ,the spread platoons have gathered and reconstituted themselves .The Germans announce,that they 've taken as prisoners 11 officers and 591 soldiers and captured 7 cannons.

The left hand side column,the 11th Brigade,advancing towards Agnita,has rejected the enemy and occupied positions on Sulumberg Hill and Merghindeal Hill,strenghtening them.Because of the failure of the 12th Brigade ,with the right flank in the air,had to retreat on Cincului Hill,after the 12th Brigade.

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Stopping the offensive of the II-nd Army

The calculus for the day of 29th of September was unsatisfying for Romanians.The 4th Romanian Division,fighting hard with the accident-ed(bad) terrain ,dug out by rain fwhich was falling continously,more than with the enemy itself,has hardly advanced few miles .The 3rd Romanian Division ,at North of Olt,has attacked the troops of the 1st Austro-Hungarian Cavalry Division ,strenghtened with "Chevaux-legeres" Regiment ,brought from South of Olt and by the 8th Infantry Regiment de Landwehr,the reserve of the IX-th German Army,brought by aotomobiles on to the battle field and a detachment of easy shells(obuse),have inched them and touched the line Chirpar-Ilimbav-Sasaus.

What use though!The Olt Battle was over;the to late help of the II-nd Romanian Army could not produce any effect.Olt Corps have retreated on the mountaineous frontier ,the continuation of the II-nd Army's offnsive was of no tactical use.On the contrary,she risked to put herself,again in a dangerous situation .The failure of the 6th Romanian Division ,left the right side of the army,uncovered .Only the speed of intervention of the 3rd Hunters Regiment(Romanians) ,escaped the Division of total desaster.The threat remained,though,on its feet and it had to be conjured.

After the proposal of General Crainiceanu ,The Big Headquarter dicided the suspension of the offensive of II-nd Romanian Army,and a ne regrouping of her forces ,to move the offensive to the right ,where the new group of Morgen cunstituted the threat.The 3rd Romanian Division has received the order to retreat and,in forced marching,to move towards the right side of 6th Romanian DIvision.The 4th Romanian Division to retreat,to constitute the reserve of the II-nd Army.The 2nd Cavalry Division has been attached to the II-nd Army.The saviour role of the II-nd Army has finished with a failure;she had now to fight for her own safety.

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The Fight at Porumbacu

The 4th Romanain Division advanced faster than the 3rd and the 6th.If Feldioara Brigade ,which was advancing North of Olt,repulsing the Cavalry troops ,unmounted of the 1st Austro-Hungarian Division,was ahead just a bit from the 3rd Romanian Division,the other brigade,which was advancing South of Olt,in close fighting contact with the Husars of the 3rd Cavalry ,German Division,has advanced much further than the pair brigade.Face with this threatening advance,Falkenhayn has send troops of the 78 Ifantry German Division ,to strenghten the resistance of Husars.Still.Romanians,beaten by the heavy German artillery,installed on Chicera Hill,have repulsed again at 29th of September the enemy in Oprea-Cirtisoara and they were preparing to attack at 30th of September the principal enemy line ,which was leaning with the left on to Olt River,and with the right side on to the mountains ,passing through Porumbacu de Jos(lower),Sarata and Porumbacu de Sus(upper).

In this time though,the Romanian Commander has decided the cease of the offensive;the 4th Division had to stop and retreat,to cunstitute in the reserve of the II-nd Romanian Army.The retreat order could be handed ,in the course of 29th-30th of September,to General Boureanu,the Commander of Feldioara Brigade.It dose not come in time to Colonel Paianu,the Commander of the Southern Brigade.From this cause,the brigade,starts in the eves of the morning of 30th of September ,the attack,as the Northern Brigade has started the retreat.The Romanians,are giving,in this way,the fight at Porumbacu,South of Olt River,without any goal,whatsoever,and having the Northern flank completely uncovered.The Romanian attack is given with elan.The enemy is repulsed from Oprea-Cirtisoara,then it is attacked at bayonet and rejected from villages Sarata and the two Porombacs,which are occupied by Romanians;they capture an entire battery of obusiere(shells) of 105 mm,which they turn imediately,aimed over to the enemy,continuing to repulse this one to the West.The losses of dead and wounded of the enemy are very big,especially at 18th Husars Regiment and 263rd Infantry Regiment of the 76th Division,send in haste to help;Kuhl Battalion of this regiment is destroyed.The Romanians have taken 200 prisoners .The enemy stops for a moment on the wooden ridges West of the two Porumbacs(the two villages);he is attacked then again,though, and repulsed towards Olt and Racovita,where he is received by troops of the 76th German Division,which are running in haste to save the situation.

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It has distinguished during these fights,6th Hunters Regiment and 21st Infantry Regiment,which have fought with a courage and devotion,worthy of the good name of the Romanian warrior.Ahead of the soldiers,the officers have given the good example,giving with heroism their lives..Colonel Iacobini,the Chief of Staff of the Division,has fallen as he conducted the assault of 6th Hunters Regiment ,with his hat in his right hand risen,ten steps ahed the line of shooters .Major Porumbaru has fallen,as well,in the rain of fires of machinegun,as he advanced in row with the shooters ,elbow to elbow ,with them.

Unfortunately,the heroism of the troops was of no use .The retreat order has finally reached the Commander.From full victory,the brave soldiers had to be withdraw.The column in the left side of Olt,remained uncovered,by the retreat of the column;from North ,did in time,starts at its turn ,the retreat on the same road on which it came ;during the night it stops on the line Vistea de Sus-Dragus.Because of the speed with which the retreat has to be made,the troops could not take with them the captured battery.The following day,the 4th Romanian Division was occupying the line Cincu Mare-Fagaras,facing West.The Romanian victory at Porumbacu,with all its shine,has benn null as strategical importance .It came to late to have a say over the faith of Sibiu battle.It could not even stop the regrouping of the IX-th German Army,which sotpped at the back of cavalry curtain.At 1st of October ,this regrouping was finished.Falkenhayn could now start the offensive over the II-nd Romanian Army.

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The Fight at Barcut-Moha

The days of 30th of September and 1st of October,are tireing days.The sky is cloudy,and a thin and cold rain fells continuously .The soldiers have to ferment the muds of roads and paths ,making long and exhausting marches in executing the moves of regrouping of the II-nd Romanian Army.And this regrouping ,oh well,means retreat.Turmoiled is also the state of mind at the Headquarter,sadness is also in the officers souls and of soldiers ,deception.

The troops of the 3rd Romanian Division had to make a day and a night forced marchings,retreating through Radbav and Cincu Mare,then to go round through the back of 6th Romanian Division,to assume positions at the right side of this division,between Jalisteat and Barcut.At the right wing of the army of the 2nd Cavalry Division,Romanian,to which is attached the 3rd Calarasi Brigade,is operatively attached to the II-nd Army.She has to attack towards Mesendorf ,South of Cristur,to fall behind the enemy.The Division Avanguard is attacked in the wooden defile of Roades ,by the enemy with artillery and infantry.The thick of the Division has to change direction ,and goes through Homorod and Cata la Rupea.The Brigade,not being able to connect with the Division,remains at Fiser.

The Great Hedquarter communicates to the II-nd Army tha any offensive action is from now on forbidden;no reinforcement can ,now,be send to the Northern Front.The whole attention is now focused on the Southern Front,where the blow of Flaminda is preparing.

The retreat of the Cavalry Division has produced a big gap between the II-nd Army and Northern Army.No troops to fill it.The enemy could well sneak through here, and threaten the principal line of communication with Brasov,line which goes through Rupea and Hoghiz.So,the retreat is,unavoidable.For to days she(the retreat) tempter the spirit more and more as an obsession.In the face of unsuccess of the offensive,it has to be occupied a strong defensive position,in which the army to await a favourable occasion.The actual positions,to much spread and to exposed,with the right in the air,with the left insufficient protected ,were not safe.The Great Headquarter ,addmited the proposal of General Crainiceanu to reterat the II-nd Army on the left shore of Olt River,occupying solid all the communication lines which go towards Brasov.The retreat movement,was supposed, to start in the morning of 2nd of October;the 3rd Division,in Barcut region,will protect the retreat.

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At the enemy,the preparations for restarting of the offensive movement, were almost over.At 2nd of October,Falkenhyan has to start towards Brasov with Staabs Army.Though,the situation at his left is making him concerned.Arz could not face the blows given by Prezan and was continuously retreating.That this retreat was made in the Valley of Northern Mures or of Gurghiului ,the thing did not alarm much the Commander of the IX-th Army.The retreat of the right wing of Arz ,in Tirnavei region,presents a grave danger,though;it could make difficult the movement to the East.To obstacle these fatal retreats ,which seemd to him to be more the effect of some weakness of command,than ,dictated by a tactical necessity,Falkenhayn asked,and obtained in the day of 1st of October from the Great Austro-Hungarian Headquarter from Teschen,the concentration of all the troops in Transilvania under unique command.In this way,Arz Army ,goes under the Command of Falkenhayn,"in the perspective of a concentration of troops for the decissive attack".It has to be said that until now,the colaboration of Arz with Falkenhayn ,was a very tight one and the Austrian General received and executed all the suggestions of his authoritarian camarad.Falkenhayn dispozitions,for the day of 2nd of October ,were:at the left side ,Arz would resist with any price in Sighisoara region,against the Romanian push at the center,Morgen to start the offensive with the 89th Division and,if possible ,also with the 71st Division;he will make possible ,by doing this,the principal action of Staabs which,at the right side,will start the offensive marching of Sibiu ,with direction Fagaras-Brasov.The offensive movement of Morgen in South-East direction provokes a violent collision with the troops of 3rd and 6th Romanian Divisions in Barcut region.The soldiers of the 3rd Romanian Division,marching with difficulty on muddy and dug out roads,with the small wooden bridges broken,through cold and rain ,have occupied in the morning of 2nd of October with the 5th Brigade ,at the right side,Moha,and with the 6th Brigade ,at the left side,Barcut.The avanposts of the brigades occupied the Hills of La Furci,La Ciresi and La Dumbrava.In elongation,of the last one,the 12th Brigade of the 6th Division,occupyes the Hills Hula-Cincului towards North-East,in direction Cincu Mare.

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In the morning ,the enmy has aimed a strong heavy artillery,and field one, bombardment ,over Romanian positions on the hills.At 11,30 thinking the Romanian position destroyed,the infantry starts to attack.But the 6th Romanain Brigade unfolded in mass,jumped over to the enemy,and in body fight ,repulsed him back,in the start positions.The soldiers of the 5th Brigade ,attacked at North-West of Moha,rejecting here as well the adversary.The enemy has restarted then the artillery bombardment ,which fired till 8 in the evening,interrupting from time to time to give attacks.The soldiers of the 3rd Division,which for the first time ,met the heavy artillery,have taken the bombardment with manhood,and repulsed bloody all attacks,making couple of hundreds of prisoners.

At the left wing,the soldiers of the 12th Brigade ,in position on Morii de Vint Hill,have been violently bombarded by the heavy artillery,from 7,30 in the morning until 2.30 in the afternoon,when the Berliners of General Luttwitz have started to attack.His job,though,went badly.The soldiers of Cantemir Regiment and Siret Regiment, together with the 3d Hunters regiment ,wait in quiet the closing in of the enemy columns.At once,they jump up of their improvised shelters and in a frightening speed ,in the sounds of trumpets and shouts of Urra! they throw to attack with bayonet ,without preparing the attack by fire shots .The determination of Romanians is big;the soldiers of Cantemir Regiment have to duel over the one of 29th of September.The enemy is oscillating,gets back,and start to run in disband.The German Commander sees the situation and sends new troops from Mesteacan direction;but the Romanian artillery of the neghbour brigade is reeled,and takes , under her violent firing range, and spreads them away.The Romanians begin the pursiut on the whole line.The enemy tries to maintain on the domminant height of the region,la Dumbrava,height 706 meters,but is throwed away,from there as well .He has to retreat a few Miles,until the Hirtibaciu line ,from Iacobeni to Bradeni,abandoning in Romanian hands hundreds of prisoners,piles of weapons and munitions.With difficulty,the Romanians who have ventured to far in the pursiut,are recalled by signalls of gathering up.From Schmettow Army is send to the German Division ,which is drifting,the 8th Regiment de Landwehr,which trials a turn of the left Romanian wing,through Meghindeal and Toarcla;the trial is stopped by the cannons of the 4th Romanian Division Artillery ,which was at Cincu Mare.At the right side of Romanians,the 71st Austro-Hungarian Division,of Morgen's Group,detained by other Romanian troops,could not intervene in the aid of her camarad;she never reached the fighting front,but only late in the night.

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