New-York tribune., 1915-03-28
French Analysis of Six Months of War Continued

howitzers, mitrailleuses and 1900. 900
cartridges. On the 18th il cstablisbcd
itself on the north edge of the Mon
tagne Refine, in contact with our
centre, which, for its part. had lust
forced the enemy to retreat in haste.
Action of fere Champeaux.
Our centre consisted Of a new army
created on August 90 and of one OF
those which at the beginning of the
campaign had been engaged in Belgian
Luxembourg. The first had retreated on
| August 29 to September from the
Alsne TO the north of the Mane and
occupied the general front at Sezanne-
Mailly The second, more TO the east.
had drawn back TO the south of the line
OF Humbauvi lie Chateau Beauchamp-
blenicourt- Blesmes- -Maurupt le- Montoy.
The enemy, IN view of his right be-
ing arrested and the defeat of his en-
veloping movement, made a desperate
effort from the 18th to the 10th to pierce
our centre TO the west and to the east
OF Fere ChampeauX On the Sth he
succeeded in forcing back the right of
our new army. which retired as far as
Gouragancon. On the 9th. at 6 o'clock
IN the morning. there was a further
Z,
while on the left the other army corps
also had TO 20 back TO the line of ALE
mant-C -Connantrc.
Despite this retreat, the general com
mandng the army ordered a general
offensive for the same day. With the
Morocco division, whose behavior was
heroic, he met furious assault Of the
Germans on his left toward the marshes
of ST. Gond. Then with the division
which had just victoriously overcome
the attacks of the enemy to the north
of SeZanne and with the whole of his
left army corps he made a flanking at
tack in the evening of the 9th upon
the German forces, and notably the
Guard. which had thrown back his right
army corps. The enemy. taken by sur
prise by this bold manGuvre, did not
resist and beat a hasty retreat.
On the 1lth we crossed the Marne
between Tours Marine and Sarry,
driving the Germans in front of US IN
disorder. On the 18th we were in
contact with the enemy 70 the north
Of the Camp de Chalons. Our other
army of the centre, acting on the right
Of the one just referred to, had been
entrusted with the mission during the
7ch, Sth and 9th of disengaging its
neighbor. and Il was only on the 10Th
that, being reinforced Dy an army
corps from the east, II was able to
make its action effectively felt. On
the l1th the Germans retired. But,
perceiying their danger, they fought
desperately, with enormous expenditure
Of projectiles behind strong intreuch-
ments. On the 18th the result had
none the les been attained, and our
cOl1dly qgtah-
lished on the ground gained.
Operations of the French Right.
To the right of these two armies
were three others. They had orders
to cover themselves to the north and
20 debouch toward the west, on the
flank Of the enemy which was operat-
ing 10 the west Of the Argonne; but
a wide interval in which the Germans
were in force separated them from our
centre. The attack took place, never
theless, with very brilliant success for
our artillery, which destroyed eleven
batteries of the 10th German Army
Corps. 1870,
On the 10th instant the 8th and lJth
German Army Corps counter attacked
but were repulsed. On the 1lth our
progress Continued with new successes,
and on the 18th we were able to lace
round towards the north IN eXpecta-
tion of the near and inevitable retreat
of the enemy. which IN fact took place
from the 18th.
The withdrawal Of the mass Of the
German force involved also that OF the
left From the 10Th onwards the forces
of the enemy operating between Nancy
and the Nosgcs retreated in hurry
before our two armies of the east.
which immediately occupied the posi-
tions that the enemy had evacuated.
The offensive of our right had thus
prepared and consolidated IN the most
useful way the result secured by our
left and our centre.
Such was this seven days battle in
which more than 100000 of men were
engaged. Each army gained ground
step bv step, opening the road to ITS
neiobbor. supported at once by il, TAX
INC in flank the adversary which the
dav before il had attacked IN front,
the efforts Of one articulating closely
with those Of the other. perfect unity
of intention and method anlmating the
supreme command.
To give this victory all IT'S meaning
If is necessary to add that 1t was
gained BY troops who for two weeks
had been retreating, and who Wheh the
order for the offensive was given we're
found 70 be as ardent as on the first
day. 1t has also to be said that these
troops had to meet the whole German
army. and that from the time they
marched forward they never again fell
back. Under their pressure the Ger
man retreat at certain times had the
appearance of a rout.
In spite of the fatigue of our men,