The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1914-09-18

Londonderry English breakfast
went untasted while the people rea'
the graphic account by Field Marsha
Sir John French Of the heroic figh
made by the British expeditionar!
force to keep from being annihilated
Like wildcat pursued by hounds, thu
British force backed stubbornly to
ward the River Disc, constantly show
Ing its teeth, but realizing that It must
attain the river or perish.
Text Of tho Report.
The report is published in the Lon
don Gazette, the official organ. It IL
as follows:
THE transportation of the troops
from England by rail and sea was ef
fected in the best order and without
check. Concentration was practi.
cally completed on the evening of Fri
day. August 81, and was able to
make dispositions to move the force
during Saturday to positions l con-
s1dered most favorable from which to
commence the operations which Gen.
eral Joffre requested me to under.
take"
General French then described in
detail the position taken up by his
forces at and on the east and west
OF Mons, and the retirement Of the
center behind Mons on Sunday, Au.
gust 20. He continues:
Surprised by Joffre's Message.
Meanwhile. about five in the after
noon, received a most unexpected
message from General Joffre by tele-
graph, telling me that at least three
German corps were moving on my
position in front and that another
corps was engaged in a turning move
ment from the direction of Journal.
He also informed me that the two re-
serve French divisions and the Fifth
French army corps on my right were
retiring, the Germans having on the
previous day gained possession Of the
passage OF the Sambre between
Charleroi and Namur.
Had Reserve Position Ready.
In view Of the possibility Of my
being driven from the Mons position
I had previously ordered a position in
the rear to be reconnoitered.
when the news Of the retirement
OF the French and the heavy German
threatening on my front reached me
endeavored to confirm 1t by aeroplane
reconnaissance and as a result of this
determined to effect a retirement to
the Maubeuge position at daybresk on
the 24th.
Fighting on the gath.
"A certain amount Of fighting con.
tiued along the whole line throughout
the night and at daybreak O., the oath
the second division from the neigh.
borhood Of Harmignies made q power
ful demonstration as II to retake
Binche. Under cover Of this demon.
stration the Second corps retired on
the line Of Dour. Quarouble and
Frameries. The third division on the
right Of the corps suffered consider.
able loss in this operation from the
enemy who had retaken Mons.
'The Second corps halte1 on this
line, where they intrenched them.
selves, enabling Sir Douglas Haig with
the First corps to withdraw to the
new position and he effected this with. |
out much further loss, reaching the
line from Bavay to Maubeuge about
seven in the evening.
About 1880 In the morning General |
Allenby received message from Sir |
Charles Ferguson, commanding the |
fifth division, saying he was very hard |
pressed and in urgent need Of sup.
port. On receipt Of this message Gen.
eral Allenby drew In his cavalry and
to bring direct support to
the nth division.
Rs.Enforesments Brought Up.
"The Nineteenth infantry brigade,
which had been guarding the line Of
communications. was brought by rail
to Valenciennes on the 22d and ed.
On the morning Of the Gath they were
moved out to q position south Of
Quarouble to support. the left flank
Of the Second corps.
with the assistance Of cavalry
Sir Horace Smith Dorrien was en-.
abled to effect his retreat to q new
position, although having two corps
Of the enemy on his front and ono
his flank. He suffered
great losses In doing So
AT nightfaM = position was occu-
pied by the Second corps to the west
Of Bavay, the First corps to the right.
Tho right was protected by tho for
tress Of Maubeuge. the left by the
brigade In positions be-
tween Jenlain and Bruay and BY cav.
airy on the outer flank. The French
were still retiring and had no sup.
port except such as was afforded by
the fortress Of Maubeuge. and deter
mined efforts Of the enemy to got
around my flank assured me that It
WAS his Intention to hem me against
that place and surround NE. /
Not 4 Moment 20 Be Lost.