Monday, August 24
The Germans Retreat
Russian cavalry advancing
Despite some limited successes the previous day, on 24 August the Germans of XX Corps were forced to retreat to the north. Confirmation had arrived that their reinforcements from I Corps would not be ready to rejoin the fight until 1200 on 26 August, and with the entire Russian 2nd Army bearing down on them, General Scholtz was forced to call a tactical withdrawal.
As they pulled back from the Lahna and Orlau area in the heavy morning fog, the Germans were attacked by the Cossacks serving as Samsonov’s vanguard, and at 0500 Scholtz orders the 3rd Reserve Division to move to Hohenstein and cover the corps’ withdrawal. In one notable incident, a Lt. Hohne defended his unit’s two MG08 machine guns to the end, dual-wielding Luger pistols to fight off the Russians before finally falling.
Russian Cossacks with a field gun
At 1200 Hiundenburg and Ludendorff arrived at Scholtz’ corps headquarters in the village of Tannenberg, where Ludendorff demanded that XX Corps hold “to the last man”. Russian radio signals intercepted by the intelligence officers at Konigsberg had revealed a new threat: Samsonov had ordered his XIII Corps to redeploy to roll up the Germans’ left flank. The Russian corps was too weak for such a movement, but the Germans were, as of yet, unaware of this. Further information was gained from listening to the civilian telephone network, in use by the Russians for communications. Ludendorff was thus made aware of a plan for the 2nd Army to push north from Ortelsburg to link with the 1st Army, and as a result Francois and the German I Corps were ordered to move block that move. A linking of the two Russian armies would spell doom for the defense of East Prussia.
Hindenburg and Ludendorff with the staff of the 8th Army
German Federal Archives
The situation to the north remained troubling. Ludendorff would refer to the threat of the Russian 1st Army as “an ever present storm cloud on the eastern horizon” (Buttar, p.160). Despite this, Rennenkampf was as of yet leaving the remaining German forces in his path unmolested. A divison of Landwehr troops, recently dispatched from coastal defense duties, was also inbound by rail to bolster the defense, and Ludendorff ordered them to detrain at Osterode and march northward, to serve as a reserve to delay Rennenkampf should he attempt a sudden breakthrough, but remain close enough to be turned against Samsonov should the need arrise.
As the day went on, XX Corps dug in again along its new line. In addition to trenches and other earthworks, artillery was positioned and pre-registered for maximum effect on target. The Germans’ new main line in the south facing the Russian 2nd Army ran along the Drevenze River, with the area around Muhlen strengthened with additional fortress troops requisitioned to bolster the defense.
Samsonov, for his part, had come to the conclusion that the Germans were now in general retreat, and altered his orders accordingly, with the blessing of Front Commander General Zhilinski. The Russian XIII and XV Corps were ordered to advance on Allenstein and Osterode, with VI Corps attacking Bischofsburg. Russian I Corps will cover the attack’s left flank.
East Prussia - 24 August, 1914
Fortress City of Konigsberg
Friedland - German XVII Corps Postion
Bischofsburg
Allenstein
Tannenberg - German XX Corps headquarters
Deutsche-Eylau - German I Corps deployment area
Russian 1st Army
Ortelsburg - Russian 2nd Army
Neidenburg - Russian XIII Corps