The Story of the Great War, Volume III (of 12)

ery of the Kaiser which had swept their way into Belgium, there to meet the unexpected

r some two hundred miles close to the Belgian frontier. Extending from Arras through the colliery towns of Mons and Charleroi, the extreme western front of the armies was held by General D'Amade at Arras, with about 40,000 reserve territorial troops; by General Fr

n Bülow and von Hausen around the Belgian fortress of Namur, Grand Duke Albrecht of Württemberg in the neighborhood

ance as long as Liege had done. Then the French line of frontier fortresses-Lille, with its half-finished defenses; Maubeuge, with

brought up. These quickly demolished the defenses. These siege guns, therefore, which had thus fully demonstrated their value against fortifications soon brought about the total defeat of the French offensive

rear, threatening its line of retreat. Against such terrific odds the French line at Dinant and Givet broke, exposing the flank and rear of the whole army; and by the evening of that day, August 22, the passages of the River Sambre, near Charler

o battle array. He had about thirty miles of f

the full weight of the German onset fe

tish were under the fi

o'clock the next morning, August 24, 1914. He had decided upon a new position about the town of Le Cateau, east of Cambrai. Before dawn, August 25, 1914, the southward march over rough, hilly country was resumed, and toward evening of August 25, 1914, after a long, hard day's fighting ma

AND RETREAT O

front before dawn of Wednesday, August, 26, 1914, and in the earliest hours of the morning it became apparent that the Germans were determined to throw the bulk of their strength against the British battalions which had moved up to a position south of the small town of Solesmes, e

ed it impossible to continue his retreat at daybreak. The First Corps was at that moment scarcely out of difficulty, and General Sordêt-whose troops had been fighting hard on the flank of the Fifth French Army, with General La

side and by hostile infantry on all sides. "It became apparent," says Sir John French's dispatch, "that if complete annihilation was to be avoided, a retirement must be attempted; and the order was given to commence it about 3.30 p.m. The movement was covered with the most devoted intrepidity and determination by the artillery, which had suffered

0 men, and the losses suffered by the Germans in their pursuit and attacks across the open country, owing largely to their dense formation, were much greater. The Battle of Le Cateau gave the Germans pause. Further retreat of the British could now be resumed in orderly array; for by now General Sordêt with his cavalry was relieving the pre

; on the last date-after vigorous cavalry fighting-the exhausted troops halted on a line extending from the French cathedral town of Noyon through Chauny to La Fère. There they were joined by reenforcements amounting to

Certainly the first engagements had not turned out as well as the French could have hoped. The Germans were reaping the reward of their magnificent preparation for the war. Their heavy artillery, with which the French army was almost entirely unprovided, was giving proof of its efficacy and its worth. The moral effect of those great projectiles launched from

fessional non-commissioned officers or subofficers, admirably suited to their work, with their men marching under the control of their eye and finger.

almost twice as many, and they understood how to use them in defense and attack better than the French. They had moreover, to a degree far superior to that of the French, studied the use of fortifications in the field, tre

the end of two weeks, nevertheless, thanks to the marvelous elasticity of the French soldier and the warlike qualities of the race, the training was completed

thout the loss of an instant. Every general that appeared to him incapable of fulfilling the task allotted to him was we

a thing which could not be said of France. But the French army revealed right from the beginning the most admirable and marvelous qualities. The soldiers fought with a skill and heroism that have never been equaled. Sometimes, inde

f the turning movement likely to be made by the German right wing in crossing Belgian territory. Among French experts some were of opinion that the Germans would confine themselves to

he Germans would be able to put in line with such rapidity at the outset all their reserve formations. Each army corps

oops than would have been believed in France. This permitted them to maintain in Alsace, in Lorraine, and in Belgian Luxembourg armies as numerous as those which faced

right, was obliged to make a rapid retreat, permitting the German armies of General

f forces could not be effected the retreat had to continue. As soon as it was accomplished, as soon as General Joffre had his armies well in hand an

right wing of the German forces, consisting of the army of Von Kluck, the army of Von Bülo

rom joining the three first German armies which threatened Paris. In support of this offensive of the armies of Alsace and Lorraine, the central French armies attacked in the direction of the Ardennes and Belgian Luxembourg wit

the First Army (General Dubail); the Second Army (General de Castelnau); the Third Army (General Ruffey, replaced at the end of August, 1914, by General Sarrail); the Fourth Army (General de Langle de Car

ning of the 25th, two alternatives presented themselves before him. Should they, rather than permit

mber of army corps. That is what the military call, in the language of chess players, "to castle" the army corps. But this movement could not be accomplished in a few hours. It required, even with all the perfection of organization shown by the French railways during this war, a certain number of days. As long as this operation from the right to the left had not been accomplished, as long as the left wing of the French army and even t

order to bring about a new grouping of forces. They would allow the Germans to advance, and when the occasion showed

4, he had made up his mind as to what the French retreat was going to lead he gave or

attle of the Marne. They constitute an eloquent and convincing document. The series of orders were contained in the "Bulletin

ut in line, on our left, by the junction of the Fourth and Fifth Armies, the British army, and new forces recruited from the eastern

as to bring about the following dispositi

sions of reserve, and perhaps another active army corps), brought together from August 27 to September 2, 1914.

of August 25, 1914, marks ou

s to utilize every obstacle for the purpose of checking, by brief and violent counterattacks in

d) J.

e, but to an offensive movement, which was to be resumed as soon as circumstances appeared favorable. Much is

n presented itself to counterattack the enemy for the purpose of delaying his advanc

entary army, the Ninth Army, which was detailed to take its place between the Fourth and Fifth Armies. He intrusted its command to

ishment of a strong army under one of the best French generals at the center for the purpose of encountering the main weight of the German army; such were the t