French reserves had improvised a
pontoon bridge across the Aisne at Missy, in the rear of their
now precarious position. This bridge was just strong enough to
carry the men and ammunition; but not the heavy guns. The retreat
turned into a rout--a general stampede for the bridge and river.
The slaughter was terrible, the river swollen as it was seemed
choked with floating soldiers. The few who safely got across the
bridge and those who were successful in reaching the farther bank
of the Aisne alive, reached Soissons eventually. The German gain in
prisoners and booty was enormous and their gain in ground advanced
their line a full mile, on a front extending five miles to Missy
and a little beyond. The Germans strongly intrenched their new
position without loss of time.
Farther along this front, in the neighborhood of Perthes, a less
important engagement took place. The Germans, under General von
Einem, opposed General Langle de Cary and his French forces. The
results of this engagement were negligible.
On January 18, 1915, a savage attack by the Germans was successfully
repulsed at Tracy-le-Val and on the 19th the French made an assault
upon the German position at St. Mihiel, in the Verdun section without
gaining any ground. Farther north on this section the French pressed
on and gained a little ground near the German fortress Metz; but
the very vicinity of this fortress counterbalanced this gain.
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