New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-03

of Meaux, the hills of Monthyon and Pen
chard. 1t is cut by several brooks, con.
tains a number of small villages, but is
without walls, hedges or anything that
would offer great obstruction to troops or
artillery fire. Several large farm build
ings, recalling the Chateau of Hougo-
mont at Waterloo, played similar role in
the battle.
Kluck's Quick Shift.
/ In the afternoon of September this
army of Maunoury advanced and came In
contact with the German troops on the hills
of Monthyon and Penchard. These hills
were taken in the evening hours. By the
morning of September the Germans were
recoiling toward the very edge of the pla-
teau, with the Ourcq Valley at their backs.
A number of villages were taken by storm,
notably Barcy and Etrepilly, and the
French from the north were able to
threaten a fanking movement which
promised to turn the 4th Reserve Corps out
of their position.
But now comes the change Kluck seems
to have appreciated the full extent of the
peril incredibly swiftly. By September 6
he was drawing his troops from the front
of the British. Actually he was able to
withdraw first the I'd (active) Corps and
then the 4th (active) Corps, leaving only
cavalry to hold the British. With these
troops he counter-attacked Maunoury,
threw him back materially on September s.,
and on the next day bent the northern
flank of the French army back until it
stood at right angles to the rest of the
line. and on this day seemed destined to
drive Maunoury back into Paris. On the
night of September 90 the Paris garri-
son stood to arms and Maunoury's army
waited anxiously for daybreak, still with
orders to attack, but expecting attack and
defeat. After three and half days Of
fighting they were at the end of their
strength.
When daylight came on September 10
the Germans were gone. For Kluck the
retreat to the Aisne had begun, but it was
not retreat due to his own defeat. The
first blow of the French had been parried,
the failure of the British to retain even
one corps of Kluck's army before them,
their extreme slowness of movement, had
permitted Kluck to reconcentrate his army,
escape from the vicious position in which
he stood when the battle began, had en-
abled him to throw back Maunourys army,
insure his retreat and to come within an
ace Of winning a decisive battle. The full
story of this whole episode, save for the
deletions of the censor, NAV be read in the
words Of that eminent French
soldier, General Bonnal. 1t deserves read
ing because of the prevalence, in this coun-
try and not elsewhere, of the legend that
the British army saved the French at the
Marine.
German Line Dislocated.
If it had failed in its chief purpose, still
the effect of Maunoury's attack had been
to dislocate not only Kluck's army, but
that of Btlow. to the east, the army which
had won Charleroi and now faced the Fifth
French army along the Grand Norm,
south of Montmirail and east TO the
marshes of St. Gond This army drew
back to keep its alignment with Kluc's,
heavily pursued and fighting many minor
Right across the battle
fields of the famous Napoleonic campaign
If 1914, Montmirail, Vauchamps and
Champaubert woke from a century of
PEACE to new carnage. But the fight be-
ween d'Esperey and Bilow was not to
he finish. because Bulow was compelled to