The New York Times Current History of the European War | Page 6

an
advance base at Le Mans. This operation was well carried out by the
Inspector General of Communications.
In spite of a severe defeat inflicted upon the Guard Tenth and Guard
Reserve Corps of the German Army by the First and Third French
Corps on the right of the Fifth Army, it was not part of Gen. Joffre's
plan to pursue this advantage; and a general retirement to the line of the
Marne was ordered, to which the French forces in the more eastern
theatre were directed to conform.
A new Army (the Ninth) had been formed from three corps in the south
by Gen. Joffre, and moved into the space between the right of the Fifth
and left of the Fourth Armies.
While closely adhering to his strategic conception to draw the enemy
on at all points until a favorable situation was created from which to
assume the offensive, Gen. Joffre found it necessary to modify from
day to day the methods by which he sought to attain this object, owing
to the development of the enemy's plans and changes in the general
situation.
In conformity with the movements of the French forces, my retirement

continued practically from day to day. Although we were not severely
pressed by the enemy, rearguard actions took place continually.
On the 1st September, when retiring from the thickly wooded country
to the south of Compiègne, the First Cavalry Brigade was overtaken by
some German cavalry. They momentarily lost a horse artillery battery,
and several officers and men were killed and wounded. With the help,
however, of some detachments from the Third Corps operating on their
left, they not only recovered their own guns, but succeeded in capturing
twelve of the enemy's.
Similarly, to the eastward, the First Corps, retiring south, also got into
some very difficult forest country, and a somewhat severe rearguard
action ensued at Villers-Cotterets, in which the Fourth Guards Brigade
suffered considerably.
On Sept. 3 the British forces were in position south of the Marne
between Lagny and Signy-Signets. Up to this time I had been requested
by Gen. Joffre to defend the passages of the river as long as possible,
and to blow up the bridges in my front. After I had made the necessary
dispositions, and the destruction of the bridges had been effected, I was
asked by the French Commander in Chief to continue my retirement to
a point some twelve miles in rear of the position I then occupied, with a
view to taking up a second position behind the Seine. This retirement
was duly carried out. In the meantime the enemy had thrown bridges
and crossed the Marne in considerable force, and was threatening the
Allies all along the line of the British forces and the Fifth and Ninth
French Armies. Consequently several small outpost actions took place.
On Saturday, Sept. 5, I met the French Commander in Chief at his
request, and he informed me of his intention to take the offensive
forthwith, as he considered conditions very favorable to success.
Gen. Joffre announced to me his intention of wheeling up the left flank
of the Sixth Army, pivoting on the Marne and directing it to move on
the Ourcq; cross and attack the flank of the First German Army, which
was then moving in a southeasterly direction east of that river.

He requested me to effect a change of front to my right--my left resting
on the Marne and my right on the Fifth Army--to fill the gap between
that army and the Sixth. I was then to advance against the enemy in my
front and join in the general offensive movement.
These combined movements practically commenced on Sunday, Sept. 6,
at sunrise; and on that day it may be said that a great battle opened on a
front extending from Ermenonville, which was just in front of the left
flank of the Sixth French Army, through Lizy on the Marne,
Mauperthuis, which was about the British centre, Courtecon, which
was on the left of the Fifth French Army, to Esternay and Charleville,
the left of the Ninth Army under Gen. Foch, and so along the front of
the Ninth, Fourth and Third French Armies to a point north of the
fortress of Verdun.
[Illustration: Map 5.--Sept. 8. Battle of the Marne. The great advance to
the Petit Morin and the Marne, where important captures were made by
the British.]
This battle, in so far as the Sixth French Army, the British Army, the
Fifth French Army, and the Ninth French Army were concerned, may
be said to have concluded on the evening of Sept. 10, by which time the
Germans had been driven back to the line Soissons-Rheims, with a loss
of thousands of prisoners, many guns, and enormous masses of
transport.
About Sept.