The New York Times Current History of the European War | Page 5

with deep gratitude the incalculable assistance I
received from the General and Personal Staffs at Headquarters during
this trying period.
Lieut. Gen. Sir Archibald Murray, Chief of the General Staff; Major
Gen. Wilson, Sub-Chief of the General Staff; and all under them have
worked day and night unceasingly with the utmost skill, self-sacrifice,
and devotion; and the same acknowledgment is due by me to Brig. Gen.
Hon. W. Lambton, my Military Secretary, and the personal Staff.
In such operations as I have described the work of the Quartermaster
General is of an extremely onerous nature. Major Gen. Sir William
Robertson has met what appeared to be almost insuperable difficulties
with his characteristic energy, skill, and determination; and it is largely
owing to his exertions that the hardships and sufferings of the

troops--inseparable from such operations--were not much greater.
[Illustration: Map. 2.--The retreat continued. From Compiègne, Sept. 1,
to the new position south of Meaux, Sept. 3 and 4.]
[Illustration: Map 3.--Commencement of the battle of the Marne, Sept.
6 (Sunday), morning. Concentration of the Germans on a central point,
and the position of the British force when it resumed the offensive.]
Major Gen. Sir Nevil Macready, the Adjutant General, has also been
confronted with most onerous and difficult tasks in connection with
disciplinary arrangements and the preparation of casualty lists. He has
been indefatigable in his exertions to meet the difficult situations which
arose.
I have not yet been able to complete the list of officers whose names I
desire to bring to your Lordship's notice for services rendered during
the period under review; and, as I understand it is of importance that
this dispatch should no longer be delayed, I propose to forward this list,
separately, as soon as I can. I have the honor to be,
Your Lordship's most obedient Servant,
(Signed) J.D.P. FRENCH, Field Marshal, Commander in Chief, British
Forces in the Field.

II.
*The Battle of the Marne.*
17th September, 1914.
My lord: In continuation of my dispatch of Sept. 7, I have the honor to
report the further progress of the operations of the forces under my
command from Aug. 28.
On that evening the retirement of the force was followed closely by two

of the enemy's cavalry columns, moving southeast from St. Quentin.
The retreat in this part of the field was being covered by the Third and
Fifth Cavalry Brigades. South of the Somme Gen. Gough, with the
Third Cavalry Brigade, threw back the Uhlans of the Guard with
considerable loss.
Gen. Chetwode, with the Fifth Cavalry Brigade, encountered the
eastern column near Cerizy, moving south. The brigade attacked and
routed the column, the leading German regiment suffering very severe
casualties and being almost broken up.
The Seventh French Army Corps was now in course of being railed up
from the south to the east of Amiens. On the 29th it nearly completed
its detrainment, and the French Sixth Army got into position on my left,
its right resting on Roye.
The Fifth French Army was behind the line of the Oise, between La
Fère and Guise.
The pursuit of the enemy was very vigorous; some five or six German
corps were on the Somme, facing the Fifth Army on the Oise. At least
two corps were advancing toward my front, and were crossing the
Somme east and west of Ham. Three or four more German corps were
[Transcriber: original 'wree'] opposing the Sixth French Army on my
left.
This was the situation at 1 o'clock on the 29th, when I received a visit
from Gen. Joffre at my headquarters.
I strongly represented my position to the French Commander in Chief,
who was most kind, cordial, and sympathetic, as he has always been.
He told me that he had directed the Fifth French Army on the Oise to
move forward and attack the Germans on the Somme, with a view to
checking pursuit. He also told me of the formation of the Sixth French
Army on my left flank, composed of the Seventh Army Corps, four
reserve divisions, and Sordêt's corps of cavalry.

I finally arranged with Gen. Joffre to effect a further short retirement
toward the line Compiègne-Soissons, promising him, however, to do
my utmost to keep always within a day's march of him.
In pursuance of this arrangement the British forces retired to a position
a few miles north of the line Compiègne-Soissons on the 29th.
The right flank of the German Army was now reaching a point which
appeared seriously to endanger my line of communications with Havre.
I had already evacuated Amiens, into which place a German reserve
division was reported to have moved.
[Illustration: Map 4.--Sept. 6 (Sunday), evening. First advance toward
the line of the Grand Morin.]
Orders were given to change the base to St. Nazaire, and establish