Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-10-30
|GEN. FRENCH REPORTS ON DESPERATE
FIGHTING IN BATTLE OF THE A|SNE

the enemy's artillery and machine
gun fire from the direction of Vregny
became SO severe that no further prog
ress could be made. The positions
reached were held until dark.
The Third corps made an attempt
to throw heavy pontoon across the
river late in the afternoon, but gave
up because of the heavy howitzer
fire of the enemy.
In the evening the enemy retired
at all points and intrenched himself
on high ground about two miles north
OF the river, along which runs the
Chemin des Danes.
Build Pontoons Under Fire.
During the night of the 18th and
on the 18th. and following days field
companies necessarily worked night
and day, throwing eight pontoons and
one foot bridge across the river under
a generally heavy artillery fire, which
was necessarily kept up on most of
the crossings after their completion.
THE action of the First corps on
this day under the direction and COM
mand of Sir Douglas Haig was of SO
skillful, bold and decisive a charac-
ter that he gained positions which
alone would have enabled me to main
tain my position for more than three
weeks of very severe fighting on the
north bank of the river.
About | p. m. the enemy obtained
a. footing between the First and Sec
ond-corps and threatened to cut the
communications of the latter. Cen
eral Haig was hard pressed and had
no reserve in hand. | placed n cav
airy division at his disposal, part of
which he skillfully used to prolong
and secure the left flank of the
Guards brigade. Some heavy fight
ing ensued. which resulted in the en-
emy being driven back with heavy
loss,
General Advance Ordered.
about four o'clock a weakening Of
the counterattacks by the enemy and
other indications tended to show that
his resistance was decreasing. and a
general advance was ordered by the
army corps commander
Although meeting with consider
able opposition and coming under
very heavy artillery and rifle fire.
the position of the corps at the end
of the days operations extended from
the Chemin des Danes on the right
through Chiyy to lie Cour DE Scupir.
with the First cavalry brigade ex-
tending TO the Chavonne-Soissons
road. On the right the corps was in
close touch with the French Moroc-
can troops OF the Eighteenth corps.
which we're entrenched in echelon to
Its right rear. During the night they
entrenched this position.
Throughout the battle of the Aisne
this advanced and commanding posi-
tion was maintained, and I cannot
speak too highly OF the valuable serv-
ices rendered by Sir Douglas Haig
and the army corps under his COM
mand.
"On the morning of the 18th | be-
came convinced that the enemy was
making a determined stand. Reports
reached US from the French armies
on my right and left clearly indicating
that the enemy was occupying a
strongly intrenched line along the
General Hamilton. with the Third
division. attacked vigorously and re-
gained the ground lost on the 14th.
Il was compelled to change my
plans when ! learned that further ad-
vance of the First corps would have
dangerously exposed my right flank:
and further also learned from the
French commander-in-c chief that he
was strongly reinforcing the Sixth
French army corps on my left, with
the intention of bringing up the allied
left to attack the enemy's flank and
thus compel his retirement.
On the 18th, 18th and 18th the
whole of our line was heavily bonn
barded. The First corps was con
stantly engaged. The enemy was ul-
timately driven back with heavy loss.
On the 18th information reached
me that General Joffre had deter
mined to attack and envelop the Ger
man right flank.
Night Attack RepuIsed.
On the evening of the 18th the
enemy became active. After dark he
continued his attack on the Second
division, only to be driven back. Our
losses in these two days were consid-
cradle, but the enemy's. as obtained,
vastly exceeded them.
"On the night of the 2lst another
violent attack was repulsed by the
Third division, the enemy losing heav-
lily. On the 23d four-inch howitzer
batteries from home arrived They
were brought into action on the 24th
with very good results.
On the 23d the action of General
de Dastelnau's army on the allied lef.