The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1914-09-24
GEN. FRENCH Tells HOW GERMAN
ADVANCE ON PARIS Was CHECKED

$1,000 49,
operations of the British army in
France are contained in a report
which the wal office issued.
When the German army began its
eastward movement to cut the French
center, according to General French,
it was ignoring the British as a factor
in the fight. The allies began a gen
eral advance on September 7 against
the German rear guard of their right
wing, which had been left along the
River Ourcq. The British army was
REINFORCED. The Germans began a re-
tirement on their right on the seventh.
1t was the first time they had turned
back since the battle of Mons.
According to letters found on pris-
oners they had expected to enter Paris
in a few days. The order to retreat
was a bitter disappointment. The
British crossed the River Marine on
the ninth with the French, and on the
tenth captured 1900 men, four great
guns, six machine guns and fifty trans
ports.
The Germans of the right army
seemed demoralized. They were with
out food and surrendered readily. The
continued advance, General French
says, has delighted the troops.
Text of Statement Issued.
Following is the statement as issued
by the official press bureau:
The following report is compiled
from information sent from the head
quarters of Field Marshal Sir John
French, commandments of the
British expeditionary forces Oh the
continent, under date Of September II.
This account carries the operations
| from the fourth to the tenth OF Sep
TENDER, both days inclusive.
1T will be remembered that the gen
eral position of our troops on Sunday,
September 6, vas stated to be south
of the River Marine, with the French
forces in line on u right and left.
Practically there had been no change
since Saturday, September 3, which
marked the end of our army's long re-
tirement from the Belgian frontier
through nOIIneTn france.
Change in German Tactics.
"On Friday, September 4, 1t became
apparent hat there was an alteration
In the advance of almost the whole
of the first German army. That army
since the battle near Mons on August
%, had been playing its part in a Co
lossal strategic endeavor to create a
Sedan for the allies by ~Outflanking and
e%nveloping the left Of their whole line
so as to encircle and drive both the
British and French to the south.
There was now a change in it's OBJ
j~ective, and it was observed that the
German forces opposite the British
were beginning to move in a south
easterly direction, instead of continu,
ing southwest on to the capital, leav'
ing a strong rear guard along the line
of the River Ourcq, which flows south
OF and joins the Marine at Lizy-sur,
Ourcq, to keep off the French sixth
army, which by then had been formed
and vas to the northwest of Paris.
"They were evidently executing
what amounted to a flank march dag
onally across our front.
Attack French Left Flank.
Prepared TO ignore the British as
being driven out of the fight, they were
initiating an effort to attack the left
flank of the main French army, which
stretched in a long, curved line from
our right towards the east, and sc
to carry out against it alone an en-
velopment which so far had failed
against the combined forces of the
allies.
ION Saturday, the fifth, this move
ment on the part of the Germans was
continued and large advance parties
crossed the Marine southwark at Tril
port, Sammeron, La Ferte-Sous-Jou
ARE and Chateau Thierry. There was
considerable fighting with the French
fifth army on the French left, which
fell back from it's position south OF
the Marine towards the Seine.
"On Sunday large hostile forces
crossed the Marine and pushed or
through Coulommiers and past the
British right farther to the east. They
were attacked at night by the French
fifth army, which captured three vii
lagos at the point of %bayonets.
Advance of Allies Begun.
"On Monday, September z, there
was a general advance on the part Of
the allies. In this quarter of the field
our forces, which had now been re
enforced, pushed on in a northwest
erly direction in cooperation with the
advance OF the French fifth army &c
the north and of the French sixth
army to the eastward against the Ger
man rear guard along the River
Ourcq,
Possibly weakened by the detach
ment of troops to the eastern theatel
of operations and realizing that the
action Of the French sixth army
against the line of Ourcq and the ad
vance Of the British placed their owl
thanking movement in considerable
danger Of being taken in the rear anC
on its flank, the Germans on this day
commenced TO retire toward the north
east.
This was the first sign that these