Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-10

reHueFeu great Help W tilS ShSSCifo
retirement of the second and first
corps to new positions.
Although the troops had been or
dered to occupy the Cambria LIE Ca
Landrecios position and ground
had during the 25th, been partially
prepared and entrenched, | had grave
doubts-owing to information | had
received as to the accommodating
strength of the enemy against me
as to the wisdom of standing there
to fight.
Anxious for Substantial Obstacle.
Having regard to the continued
retirement of the French on my
right, my exposed left flank, the ten
dency of the enemys western corps
/ to envelope me and more than all
! the exhausted condition of the troops,
| | determined to make great effort
| to continue the retreat till | could
put some substantial obstacle, such
as the Somme or the Disc, between
my troops and the enemy and AFFORD
the former some opportunity for
rest and reorganization.
"Orders were therefore sent to the
corps commanders to continue their
retreat as soon as they possibly could
toward the general line of Vermand,
| St Quentin and Ribemont. and the
cavalry under General Allenby were
ordered to cover the retirement.
Throughout the 25th and far into the
evening the First corps continued to
march on Landrecies, following the
road along the eastern border OF the
forest of Normal, and arrived at
I,andrecies about 10 O'Clock. had
intended that the corps should come
further west so as to I'LL up the gap
between lie Cateau and Landrecies,
but the men were exhausted and
could not get further in without
rest
"The enemy, however, would not
allow them to rest and about 9:3U
that evening the report was received
that the Fourth Guards Brigade IN
I,andrecies was heavily attacked by
troops of the Ninth German army
corps, who were coming through the
forest to the north OF the town. This
brigade fought most CALAMITY and
caused the enemy to suffer ire
mendous loss in issuing from the for
est into the narrow streets OF the
town This loss has been estimated
from reliable sources at between 700
and 1000
"At the. same time information
reached me from Sir Douglas Haig
that his first division was also heav-
lily engaged south and east of
Marbles / sent urgent messages to
the commander of two French re-
serve divisions on my right to come
up to the assistance of the first corps,
which. they eventually did. Partly
owing to this assistance, but mainly
to the skillful manner in which Sir
Douglas Haig extricated his corps
from an exceptionally difficult posi-
ton in the darkness of night they
all nj do IN roc mn fhair
march toward Wassigny and Guise.
by about six o'clock in the after
noon the second corps had got into
position with their right on LIE
Oateau, their left In the neighbor-
hood Of Caudry and the line of de-
Tense was continued thence by the
fourth division toward Seranvillers
During the fighting on the oath
and 25th the cavalry became a good
deal scattered, but by early morning
of the 26th General Allenby had sue
ceeded in concentrating two brigades
to the south of Cambria The fourth
division was placed under the orders
of the general officer commanding the
second army corps"
although he rendered me valu-
able assistance later on in the course
of the retirement, he was unable for
the reasons given to afford me any
support on the most critical day of
all, mainly, the Goth.
"At daybreak 1t became apparent
that the enemy was throwing the
bulk of his strength against the left
of the position occupied by the Sec
opd corps and the fourth division.
At this time the guns of four Ger
man army corps were in position
against them and Sir Horace Smith
| Dorrien reported to me that he
| judged it impossible to continue his
retirement at daybreak as ordered,
in the face of such an attack.
81 sent him orders to use his ut
imost endeavors to break off the ac-
! ton and retire at abe earliest pos
sible moment, as it was impossible
for me to send him support, the first
corps being at the moment incapable
of movement.
French Cavalry on Left Rear.
1.-THE French cavalry corps under
General Sordet was coming up on our
| left rear early in the morning and
l sent him an urgent message to do
his utmost to come up and support
the retirement of my left flank, but
lowing to the fatigue of his horses
he found himself unable to intervene
in any way
There had been no time to en-
trench the position properly, but the
| troops showed a magnificent front to
( the terrible fire which confronted
them. The artillery, although out
matched by at least four to one, made
splendid fight and inflicted heavy
losses on their opponents.
AT length it became apparent that
If complete humiliation was to be
avoided, retirement must be at
tempted, and the order was given to
commence 1t about $3.50 o'clock in the
| afternoon. The movement was COW
cred with most devoted intrepidity
and determination by the artillery,
which had itself suffered heavily, and
the fine work done by the cavalry in
the further retreat from the position
assisted materially the final COM
/ pletion of this most difficult and
dangerous operation. Fortunately,
the enemy had himself suffered too
heavily to engage in an energetic
pursuit.
II cannot close the brief account of
this glorious stand of the British
troops without putting on record my
deep appreciation of the valuable SER
vices rendered by Sir Horace Smith
Dorrien. | say without hesitation
that the saving of the left wing of
the army under my command on the
morning Of the 26th could never have
been accomplished unless a COM
nander of rare and unusual GOODNESS,
intrepedlty and determination had
been present to personally conduct
the operations.
ssrhe retreat was continued far into