Immediately the commander in chief decided to attack,
and issued on the evening of September 4 the series of general
orders, given as an appendix to this volume, which announced the
big offensive and eventually turned the tide of battle.
* * * * *
CHAPTER XV
GERMAN RETREAT
That morning of the 8th, then, saw General von Kluck in full retreat.
His frontal attack on General d'Esperey had failed and the Fifth
French Army had advanced. The British were at his flank, and besides,
they had been able to spare some of their heavy artillery to send to
the Sixth Army under General Maunoury, to enable him to cross the
Ourcq. It is by no means certain that even with this assistance could
the Sixth Army have silenced the terrible fire of those howitzers,
but General von Kluck dared no longer leave his artillery there, it
must be taken with him on his retreat, or become valuable booty.
Leaving a few batteries to guard the crossings of the river, the
Ourcq division of the German right retreated in good order, to
rejoin their comrades who had been so unexpectedly mauled by the
British. The honor of this day was, curiously, not to the victorious,
but to the defeated army. Had General von Kluck done nothing other
than conduct his army in retreat as he did, he would have shown
himself an able commander. Sir John French and General d'Esperey
followed up their advantage.
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