The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-09-16
GERMAN RETREAT CELEBRATED
BY GUNS OF ALLIED ARMIES
Flushed With Victory French and the
British Pursue Enemy. Heavy
Losses are Reported.

dun, the German forces in France
have fallen back all along the line, &C
cording to the French official repor
issued this afternoon.
From Nancy to the Vosgs they have
withdrawn from French territory
while on the extreme right Genera
yon Kluck and General Won BueloW
continue to retreat to the northwest
before the French and British, ever
giving up their defensive position or
the river Aisne between Compiegne
and Scissors.
Further west the German detach'
ments that held Amiens have moved
northeastward to try to rejoin the
German army of the right at st. Quen'
tin. 1t is possible all the Germans in
Northwest France have done like
wise; otherwise they would be in dan
ger of being cut off in the center.
Another defensive position, behind
Hheims has been given up and in the
Argonne region a general retreat is
taking place toward the forests Of
Belonoue and Triancourt.
Theallies are pushing their ad-
vantage and doing their utmost to
turn the retreat into a disaster by a
stern pursuit on perhaps the broadest
scale yet known in the war. On the
right they are in good position to con-
tinue the offensive, of the men and
horses are not too tired for further
effort. They are based on a strong
line running from the Marne to the
fortresses through the hill country
south of Argonne.
While the allied left, composed
largely of fresh troops with a heavy
force of cavalry under General Pau,
is wheeling around as to drive Cen
erals Won Kluck and Won Buelow to-
wards Ardennes and Luxemberg Gen.
eral Pau's army, by a few more
marches by La Fere and Laon, might
cut communications between the re-
terating Germans and Belgium.
The British, who yesterday took
nearly all the crossings on the river
Aisne and captured many prisoners
are north of that river and are push
ing the attack that would assist in
forcing the Germans to evacuate
Rheim. The center, somewhere be-
tween Chalons and Rheims, is max
ing an effort to recapture the latter
city, which would be one of the most
popular victories that could be an
nounced to Frenchmen.
Should these movements be crown
ed with success and Laon and Rheims
again fall into the hands Of the allies
the Germans would have only one line
of communication with Germany
through Rethel-and even that might
be cut.
General Won Kluck, however, Is
looking for reinforcements from Bel
GUM If they have not already rached
him, and with these he might make
another stand against his pursuers..
The British war Office issued a long
statement today from Field Marshal
Sir John French, covering more com
pletely than the previous summaries
the seven days fighting from Septem-
Der to September 10, inclusive. Ac-
cording to this report the German
swerve to the southeast of Paris is
accounted for by General Won Kluck's
decision that the British, who had
been so heavily engaged in the re-
treat from the Belgian frontier, could
be ignored and that he could proceed
with his plan of enveloping the main
French army.
The new army which came out OF
Paris, however, upset this calculation
and, with his flank threatened, the
German general had to Withdraw
movement which has been continued
up to the present.
General French paid high tribute to
the latest addition to the British army
the flying corps, and he also quotes
a letter from the French commander
General Joffre, who congratulated
him on the accuracy of the informa'
ton supplied ythe aviators. Thesf
men have done little or no bomt
throwing but have confined them
selves to gathering information abou
the enemy for the general staff.
This is the work that the military
always have said would prove of the
greatest service in connection with
the use of the aeroplane. In wha
conflicts they have had with German
ayiators, the British flying men, &C