Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-04-08

A MASTER OF RETREAT
BY Capt. c. s. Goldman, M, p.


I have just returned from France
where I have visited the Co~mpiegne-sois
sons battle fields; and wherever 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 subordinating
himself to the general strategical plan
Somebody once, at a London dinner
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 a leader of cavalry; but it 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
nlmselr 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 men,
toned In dispatches: his operations were
TOO swift and secret for the war cor
respondent to get alongside and it was not
Iil the conclusion of the war that peo-
PIE began to reflect that no one had any
thlng to say against French.
silent. good-tempered, and alert. there
ne was. ready to do his duty If called up
on but refusing to press his claims at
all; he stands in the minds Of Englishmen
AtaAI VII Nllolll lllcS Il
rely IN moments OF enlergency-solid.
~steadfast, and capable.
When history comes to be written we
shall 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 30 long but must be relieved by
u and such q date-how the French
We're 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 a hand as they alighted from
the footboards Of the painting troop trains.
General French must have known that
" was not military strategy which took
him to Mons-but sheer humanity. The
story Of that retreat will stand out in
the age OF history blazoned with bril-
liant deeds. The Spartans at Thermo-
pylae and Sir John Moore at Corumna
made great retreats, but l believe for
coolness. 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 az a
general: "Ahi l never had to retreat: that,
Is the true test OF generalship." And when
you come to think of it. it 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 confidence
In their leader, would have lost heart.
Again and again the cavalry had to
wheel round and fight rear-guard actions
for 1t is SO fatally easy for a quick walk
to become a run-for a 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. HS
led them nearly to the walls Of Paris and
then suddenly the Germans came to the
conclusion that the retreat was not sc
successful as they had hoped. Indeed. IN
the words of Chatham, "They had done
| nothing and suffered much.'' And that
was due to Sir John French.