Nelson's history of the war. Vol. XI., The struggle for the Dvina, and the great invasion of Serbia

THE OVERRUNNING OF SERBIA. 141

tractedly by the few routes left open to the southwest. Nish was a beleaguered city. Food was scarce, and vehicles could hardly be obtained for love or money. By Tuesday, the 26th, disaster had followed disaster. On the Saturday von Gallwitz’s left had forced the passage of the Danube , ,¢

at Orsova, on the Rumanian border, the SE western opening of the defile known as the Iron Gate. The Germans crossed by the island below the town, and took the steep wooded heights on the southern shore which commanded all the bend of the river. That same day Negotin fell to Bojadiev’s right, and the town of Prahovo, where the Bulgarians seized large quantities of supplies which had come up the river for the Serbians. These victories opened to Germany the Danube route to Constantinople. Von Gallwitz had also pushed some way up the Morava, and was in line with von Koevess, who had occupied Valjevo. In the west the Austrians had forced the Drina at Vishegrad, and were threatening Ushitza.

There was no chance of the Serbians retrieving their fortunes, as they had done a year before, by a stand on the ridges of Maljen and Suvobor. That position was already turned, with the Bulgarians pressing westward from Timok and Pirot. The line of the Upper Timok still held, but it, too, was outflanked on south and west. The only route for withdrawal, if the army was to be saved, was by the long valley of the Ibar for their northern forces, and for the southern detachments the ancient roads to the Adriatic from Prisrend and from Monastir. But there was little time to lose, for the Austrians moving on Ushitza, and the Bulgarians pushing