Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-09-18

ing the period from Sept. 10 to sept
H. written by an officer attached to
Field Marshal Sir John French's stan
was issued tonight by the official press
bureau. The account follows;
Since Thursday, Sept. 10, the Brit
ish army made steady progress IN It's
endeavor to drive back the enemy In
corporation with the French. The
country across which it had to force
its way, and will have to continue to
do so. is undulating and covered with
patches of thick woods.
within the area which faced the
British before the advance commenc-
ed, right up to Laon, the chief fea-
ture of tactical Importance is the fact
that there are six rivers running right
across the direction of the advance,
at all of which it was possible that
the Germans might make resistance.
These are, in order from the south,
the Marine, Ourcq, Vesle Aisne, Ailette
and Disc.
1.-THE enemy held the line of the
Marine which was crossed by our
forces on Sept. 8, as a purely rear
guard operation. Our passage of the
Ourcq. which runs almost due east and
west. was not contested. The Vesle wac
only slightly held, while resistance
along the Aisne, both against the
French and the British, has been and
still is of a determined character.
ION Friday, Sept. IL. but little oppo-
sition was met with along any part of
our front, and the direction of the ad-
vance was. for the purpose of cooper
ating with our allies, turned slightly
to the northeast. The day was passed
in rushing forward and gathering in
various hostile attachments. BY night
fall our forces had reached a line
north of the Ourcq, extending from
Oulchy- Lee Chateau to Longport.
"On this day there was also a gener-
al advance of the French along their
whole line which ended in a substan-
tiaI success, in one portion of the field
Duke Albrecht of Wuerttemberg'
army being driven back across the
Saulx, and elsewhere the whole of the
corps artillery of a German corps be-
ing captured Several German colors
also were taken.
1T was only on this day that the full
extent CT the victory gained by the
allies on Sept. 8 was appreciated by
them and the moral effect of this sue
cess has been enormous.
An order dated Sept and 7, is
sued by the commander of the German
18th Corps was picked. up. 1t stated
that the great object of the war was
about to be attained, since the French
were going to accept battle, and that
upon the result of this battle would
depend the issue of the war and the
honor of the f,prpanp armies
at seems probable that the Ger
mans not only expected to find that
the British army was beyond the pow
er of assuming the offensive for some
time, but counted on the French hav-
ing been driven back on the line of the
Seine, and that, though surprised to
find the latter moving forward against
them after they had crossed the Marine,
they were in no wise deferred from
making great effort.
ON Saturday, the 18th, the enemy
were found to be occupying a very
formidable position opposite us on the
north of the line at scissors. They
held both sides of the river and an
entrenched line on the hills to the
north of eight road bridges and two
railway bridges crossing the Aisne,
within our section OF the front. Seven
Of the former and both of the latter
had been demolished
Working from the west to the east
our third army corps gained some
high ground south of the Aisne over
looking the Aisne valley to the east
OF scissors. Here a long range ar
tillery between our guns and those of
the French on our left and the enc
my's artillery on the hills continued
during the greater part of the day
and did not cease until nearly mid
night. The enemy had a very large
number of heavy howitzers in we'll
concealed positions.
The movement of this army corps
was effected in cooperation with the
French 9Th Army on our left. which
gained the southern half of the town
during the night.
The second army corps did not
cross the Aisne. The First Army
Corps got over the river Vesle to the
south of the Aisne, after the crossing
had been secured by the First Cav
airy division. II then reached a line
south of Aisne without fighting.
AT bl dlSHe the G1TSt taNdlFy OIL
Vision met with considerable opposi-
ION from infantry and machine guns
holding the town and guarding the
bridges. With the aid of some of our
infantry We gained possession of the
town about midday, driving the enc
my TO the north. Some hundred pris-
oners were captured around Braisne
where the Germans had thrown
large amount Of field gun ammunition
into the river, where II was visible
under two feet of water
"on our right the French reached the
line Of the river Vesle. On this day be-
gan an action along the Aisne which is
mot yet finished and which may be
merely of rear guard nature on a large
scale or may be the commencement Of a
battle Of a more serious nature.
1T rained heavily on Saturday after
noon and all through the night, which Sc
verely handicapped transport
ION Sunday. the 18th. extremely strong
resistance was encountered along the
whole of our front. which was some is
miles in length. The action still consist
ed for the most part of long range gun
fire, that of the Germans being to a great
extent from their heavy hoWitzers which