The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-04-08
A MASTER or RETREAT
By Capt. c. s. Goldman. N. p.

I have Just returned from Franco
where I have visited the Com~piegne-Sots-
sons battle fields: and wherever 1 went ]
heard expressed on all sides the highest
admiration for Sir John French-for his
splendid spirit in cooperating so closely
with General Joffre and subordinatins
himself to the general S~trategical plan.
Somebody once, at a london Dime
while proposing his health, said French
was "the Incompatible Ney" OF the Brit
ish army. That was after the Boer war
when he had again and again proved his
skill as q cad Of cavalry; but Il Is not
every colonel that makes a good general.
or a good general a supreme commander
In the field. French has not only been a
brilliant leader OF cavalry, but has proved
himself to be a general OF no mean order.
In fact the war has produced the man.
French In South Africa went his way
regardless Of p~raise-he was rarely mem
toned IN dispatches; his operations were
too swift n secret for the war cor
respondent to get alongside and It was not
TIL the conclusion Of the war that peo-
pie began to reflect that no one had any
thing to say against French.
Silent, good-tempered, and alert, there
he was, ready to do his duty II called up
on, but refusing to press his claims at
all; he stands In the minds OF Englishmen
80 - NJPV vi Aldh VII WhOll NASy SaA
rely In moments Of emergency-solid,
~steadfast, and capable.
When history comes to be written we
h know all the early blunders OF the
war. The French false opening by raid
Ing Alsace and Lorraine-how the Bel
CLANS said they could withstand the tor
rent for 80 long but must be relieved by
such n such q date-how the French
were not ready and were not able to
keep the appointment-what time the Bel
CLANS were being cut to pieces-how the
contemplate little British army" was
hurled across the channel under French,
and took q hand as they alighted from
the ~footboards Of the painting troop trains.
General French must have known that
II was not military strategy which took
him to Mons-but sheer humanity. The
story Of that retreat will stand out In
the pages OF history blazoned with bril-
liant deeds. The Spartans at Thermo-
pylae and Sir John Moore at Corunna
made great retreats, but I believe for
GOODNESS. order, and precision, Sir John
French's retreat from Mons will stand
beside either.
Won Moltke always shook his head with
perfect seriousness when praised as q
general: "AhI / never had to retreat; that
Is the true test Of generalship." And when
you come to think Of It, Ii must be so.
Our soldiers fought all day-seemed to
drive the enemy back and then retired.
They naturally wanted to know why, and
II they had not had complete condolences
IN their leader, would have lost heart.
Again and again the cavalry had to
wheel round and fight rear-guard actions
for it is 30 fatally easy for a quick walk
to become a run-for q retreat to become
a rout. Keep them on the run"is .
commonplace OF warfare. The difficulty
is to set the pace and find where you
can stop. This General French did. He
led them nearly to the walls OF Paris and
then suddenly the Germans came to the
conclusion that the retreat was not %
successful as they had hoped. Indeed, in
the words Of Chatham, '"They had dond
nothing and suffered much" And that
due to Sir John French.