(2) The Active Militia (Dorobanz and Frontier Battalions).
(3) The Sedentary Militia.
(4) The Citizen Guard, and
(5) The Landsturm.
Service in the first category was to consist of three years with the colours and four in the reserve; only a third of the second category was to serve with the colours whilst the remainder were allowed furloughs; the third class only were called upon during a war; the fourth was of no military importance, as it was formed from the census classes, and permitted to elect its own officers; while the fifth comprised the whole male population from the age of seventeen to fifty not included in the former categories. This important increase in the armed strength of the nation was achieved at the trifling cost of £192,000, the total vote for the army amounting to £320,000.
The 8th Infantry Regiment was raised on August 18, 1868, when the existing Line Regiments received their 3rd battalions, and no less than thirty-three Militia battalions were also to be organised. One hundred and fifty non-commissioned officers were promoted to fill the vacancies caused by this increase to the army.
A tradition had arisen in Roumania that the Minister of War was ex-officio Commander-in-Chief of the army, and this led to the political fluctuations and struggles being transplanted to the army itself. Prince Charles, therefore, appointed a civilian, Bratianu, Minister of War, to show that the Command in Chief was vested in the person of the Sovereign, thereby enabling the army to devote itself to its work of preparation for war without becoming involved in the politics of the day.
Lieut.-Colonel von Krenski, of the Prussian army, arrived on October 8, 1868, to assist the Prince in his work of reorganisation; this step caused the greatest excitement in French official circles, where the absurd rumour gained ground that 6000 Prussian soldiers had found their way into Roumania in disguise! The French mission militaire, under Colonel Lamy, was thereupon withdrawn, and a formal crusade against Colonel Krenski, the "representative of this foreign policy," was set in motion. On his return to Berlin the gallant Colonel was greeted with the pointed remark from his General that his mission to Bucharest had caused more correspondence than all the North German forces put together!
Prince Charles determined to establish a standing camp of instruction for his troops, and finally settled on Furceni, in Moldavia, on the left bank of the Seret, where plenty of wood for huts was available. The regiments moved into camp in succession, commencing in April 1869. In a letter to his father the Prince alludes to his camp life as follows: "I am fairly well satisfied with my stay in camp. The troops are capitally housed in the barracks they have built themselves. The situation is fairly healthy, as proved by the number of sick—200 out of 12,000 men; whilst at Bucharest the proportion is 230 to 3000. Those troops whose barracks are not completed remain under canvas. On my arrival I found seven Line Regiments, four Rifle and two Engineer battalions, the 2nd Artillery Regiment, one squadron of gendarmes, and two of Dorobanz Cavalry, in addition to the Train, Sanitary, and Supply Departments. I inspected a regiment every day, and lunched with the officers of the various corps.... Both officers and men like the camp, and the prevailing spirit is excellent. I promise myself favourable results from camp life, especially with regard to discipline and esprit de corps."... On his return from Livadia the Prince attended the manœuvres before closing the camp, and noticed a very marked progress, especially on the occasion of the passage of the river Seret being forced.