Meanwhile, "Général de division" Louis Faidherbe relieved Farre of his provisional command of the Army of the North on 3 December 1870 and arrived at Arras in early December to reorganize the army. Reinforced by the troops who belatedly made their way north after the Battle of Amiens as well as with fresh troops, Faidharbe′s army soon grew to a strength of 43,000 men and later reached 50,000. Reorganized into two corps, and ordered to interfere with Manteuffel's advance on Le Havre and to retake Amiens, Faidharbe′s army posed a renewed threat to Manteuffel′s northern flank. Elements of Faidharbe′s army retook Ham and its fortress on 9 December and held them briefly, then began to move toward Amiens. In mid-December 1870 Manteuffel ordered Goeben′s VIII Corps back to the Amiens area to guard against an attack there by Faidharbe. Eventually, Faidharbe′s advance on Amiens in an attempt to retake the city resulted in the Battle of Hallue northeast of Amiens on 23–24 December 1870.