The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-11-18
YEAR SINCE BIG BATTLE.
Story of Engagement on the Marine
Where Allies Checked Germans.

ago, yet some or ltS QelallS Will De
cleared up only when all official re-
ports and documents are available.
The respective strength of the
armies during the battle of Charlie
F6i and the retreat, the number and
position of Gen Maunoury's forces
during the retreat, and the prelfmi-
nary. manoeuvres and the number and
origin of the reinforcements sent to
him during the battle, are disputed
questions. The reason for the sud-
den obliquing of Won Kluck's forces
on approaching Paris are also in
doubt. Little by little, however, the
principal developments of the battle
have been established approximately.
Though the execution of their
plans had been retarded a fortnight
by the resistance encountered in Bel
GUM, the Germans, in their vast cir
c9lar movement, pivoting on Metz,
i reached the line of the Sambre and
Meuse August 21 with at least twen-
ty-five corps 100000 men) while the
allies had assembled only seventeen
corps, (680,0oo men, including two
British corps. The allies, counting
upon several days resistance by the
fortress OF Namur, took the offensive
August %, with the object of pierc-
ing the German lines at the junction
OF the Sambre and the Meuse and
z cutting the armies of Won Kluck and
Won Buelow off from the rest of the
German forces.
Fall of Namur.
~ Namur fell in a few hours: the
army of Gen. Foch (120,000 mem
concentrating behind the centre, was
{ not yet ready to go into action, and
/. the plan of the allies was compro-
missed, After partial successes
around Charleroi and on the Meuse,
the first division of reserves at Dim
& ant was thrown back and the 3rd
corps at Marchiennes sustained a
grave reverse, weakening the centre,
held by the army of Gen. Lanrezac.
Gen. Langlesd de Cary on his right had
been checked in the Ardennes, and
sRuffey on the extreme right was in
difhculties with. the army of the
crown prince of Prussia at the from
/ tier of Luxembourg. On the extreme
8 left the British troops around Mons
were violently engaged with great su-
:perior numbers, constantly increas-
ing and grayely threatening their en-
velopment., 5
The French general was Informed
by Gen: Jofre, August %, that the
enemy was sending three more corps
upon His left. Gen. Smith Dorrien' S
End was already giving ground. Such
was the beginning of the fourteen
days retreat, during which the allies,
covering 40 miles distance, on the
left wing fought continual rear
guard actions and some important
engagements that checked the ad-
vance Of the Germans and prepared
the battle of the Marne according to
the plans to have been definitely
/ fixed August q by orders in Joffre's s
own hand.
Held Teutons in Check.
Gen. Langle de Cary obliged the
Duke of Wuerttemberg to recross the
Meuse and held him there twenty
four hours, retiring only under or
ders from Joffre that he must be at
Launois on the 29th. At Launois
and Rthel he held the same forces
August % to 81, before continuing
his retreat. From his position fac
ing the Ardennes to the front of the
Marne, he had fought ten whole days
and covered sixty miles with his
forces intact. -
STC1tst lf61A OAdS 0tCdluVo "a S9SSSoS
at Guise, but; was ordered not to
follow it up; the situation was not
yet favorable for resuming a general
offensive.
The retreat of Gen. French was at
tended with the greatest difficulties.
The Germans, sending. ever increas-
ing numbers of soldiers by forced
marches against his left, necessitated
violent and desperate counter-at-
tacks, AT Cambria he sustained the
fire ofssthe artillery of four corps; he
lost 5000 men from the 29rd to the
26th before being disengaged by a
heroic charge of Gen. Allenby's cav
airy
The army of Gen. Maunoury, after.
wards called the Army of Paris, part
II constituted the 26th near Amiens
and popularly supposed not to have
been in, action until September 6, ap-
pears to have gone to the support Of
the British contingent the 29th, in