Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-05

the same on its left in order to help
the British army, between these two
armies a gap had been created of
which a German army, under Won
Hansen, was threatening to take adj
vantage in order to dislocate our ar
rangements.
Gen. Joffre having no available re-
serves to ward OH this danger, had
adopted the bold plan of regrouping his
forces. Withdrawing from the 4th
Army the 9th Corps comprising the
nth Division and the Morocco Division)
and also the 18th Corps in order to
make up, with the And Division, two
reserve divisions and the 9th Division
of Cavalary, an army detachment, he
had sent for Gen. Foch to take it over.
Had to Find Troops.
"I first had to find my troops. When,
on the goth, ! reached the Attn Army
Gen. de Langle cried out at the sight
of me: 1T is Providence who has sent
YOU All right! All right I replied
We shall see"
Thereupon he put himself at the head
of contingentS which already had been
exhausted by severe battles as well as
by several days of retreat, and which
even that very morning had been in
contact with the enemy; and at once
he gave them the order to attack, know
ing the constructive and inspiring adj
vantages of taking the offensive.
In few days the new army was COM
pleted and full of enthusiasm. Indeed,
on September 5, 1t was occupying the
line Somme sous -Fere- ChampenoiSe-
Sezanne, in contact with the two
armies which supported it on either
side, and ready for action.
tn he
of the offensive, on September 6, the
9th Army was only to cover the. right
wing of the armies attacking Won
Kfck. But events, or rather the en-
envy, gave to this position a consider
able Importance.
Had to Sustain Bitter Attack.
It had to sustain the bitter attack of
the army of Won Bulow, pivoting on its
right flank in order to confront Paris,
and that of the army of Won Hansen,
which directed against it an ambitious
So the success of the battle
was going to depend on its resistance.
The whole nation shared as one man
in the agony of suspense. Behind the
battleline emotions ran riot. The local
were asking whether the
battle, whose violent cannonade they
heard drawing nearer and nearer every
day, was not going to end in a reverse
which would throw them at the mercy
Of the invader.
I was spending my days at my
outpost in Pleurs. Every morning after
my departure from Plancy, where 1 had
my headquarters, the people with whom
was billeted were seized with fear
and made their preparations for flight.
Every evening when they saw me re-
turn to my lodging they unpacked their
trunks. BY the next day they began
again. That lasted until September is,
the day I left to set up my headquar-
ters further forward, at Fere-Cham-
penoise."
We were reaching the edge of the
plateau and the chalky plain of Cham
payne, With its innumerable little fir
woods which extended before us as far
as the horizon. The marshal pointed
out the direction of Plancy and that of
Pleurs.
Bystanders Are Denfonstrative.
At the bottom of the slope Sezanne
appeared. The cars descended
the slope, and We reached there in time
tor lunch.
The rumor of our arrival spread. 1t
was impossible, on leaving the hotel, to
get as far as the market place to visit
the church.
The marshal tried to escape from the