Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1914-09-17
FRENCH TELLS HOW STRATEGY
SAVED BRITISH FROM ANN|H|LAT|0N

AaFuuou. EhkII91 OFFIhItNIH
went untasted while the peopl. read
the graphic account BY Field Marshal
Sir John French OF the heroic fight
made by the British expeditionary
force TO keep from being annihilated.
Like a wildcat pursued BY hounds. the
British force backed stubborniy to-
ward the River Disc. constantly show
ing its teeth. but realizing that II must
attain the river or perish.
rsxs Of tire Report
The report Is published in the Lon
don Gazette. the Official organ. II IN
- follows:
The transportation Of tho troops
from England By raii aud sea was ef-
ferted IN the best order and without
. check Concentration was practi-
caliy completed on the evening Of Fri
day, August al. and was able to
make dispositions to move the force
during Saturday 10 positions I con-
sidered most favorable from which to
commence the operations which Cen
sr.i Ioffrs requested me 10 under
tAA1&
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 ~. He continues:
surprssed by Jofsre's Message.
Meanwhile. about ave In tho after
noon. I rpcelved n 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 Tournai.
He also informed me that the two re-
s.rv. r,r.rch atv,.,or. .,a ,na Ey,,h
rr.r., .rr,, .o-r., a., w., -,rn, xara
-...-,. a. c. 80, -.
..~.,- - -. -
s ~ -
S~. VI '"'1 e''
N""i, anu
'-a reserSe ros'''on resoy.
IN we" o. 'ne poss,oi''y Oh my
oe'hs driven rom tne Mons position
! nau previously orue'eu POSITION IN
'ne rear 70 y" reconnoitered-
Wnen tne news OF the re'ire'nent
OF 'he rrenen ana tne neaSy Ser'nan
threatening on my tront reaensd me
endeavored 10 eonnrm u oy seropiane
reconnoissance ana as result OF this
! ae,erm'ned 70 euec, re,iremen, 10
tne Nanoeuse position a, dayorekk on
sne -''h-
Fightins on tne gain.
"A certain amount OF fighting con
fued along tho whole line throughout
the night and At dayhresk on the zstf
inc secona divisaon Hon .ns ns'sn
-. sI..-.a' -. y. = = .ss-s
p,r~Nr v<-,,c- cova- y, mi. aaror
,tr.fe,r the second corn. retired q,
tho line Of pour. ouaroubis an.
Fram.rf~-. The third division on IN.
right Of the corps suffered consider
able loss IN this operation from the
enemy who had retaksn Mons
The Second corps haltei on this
line. where they intrenched them
selves. enabling Sir Douglas Haig with
the First corps 10 withdraw TO the
new position and he effected this with
out much further loss. reaching the
line from Bavay to Maubeuge about
seven IN tho evening.
About 1:3o in the morning General
Alienby received a message from Sir
Charles Ferguson. commanding the
nfth division. saying he was very hard
pressed and IN urgent need OF sup
port On receipt Of this MESSAGE Gen
eral Allenhy drew In hts cavalry and
end-avored to bring direct support to
the hfth division
Re-Enforcerents Brought ur.
The Nineteenth Infantry brigade.
which had been guarding the line OF
communications. was brought BY rail
70 vaIeneiennes on the 22d and Esd
On the morning Of the sith they were
moved out TO a position south OF
Cuarouhie TO support the ieft HANK
Of the Second corps
With the assistance OF cavalry
Sir Horace Smith Dorrien was en-
abled to effect hts retreat 20 a new
position. although having two corps
Of the enemy on his front and one
threatening his flank He suffered
great losses in doing 80.
AT nightfali a position was occu
pied by the Second corps to the west
OF Bavay. the First corps 70 the right
The right was protected by the for
tress OF Maubeuge. the left by the