d toward the Argonne.
Thus from the western coast almost to Verdun there was a general
Franco-British retreat.

On August 28, 1914, pressed by the German armies commanded by Von
Kluck on the west, by Von Hausen from Dinant and Givet, by Von
Buelow from Charleroi and Namur, the Allies were pushed back upon
a line stretching roughly from Amiens through Noyon-Le Fere to
Mezieres; while their forces east of the Meuse between Mezieres
and Verdun were retreating before Duke Albrecht of Wuerttemberg,
and to the southeast of Verdun before the Bavarians. All northern
France was thus open to the invaders.

After the battle of Le Cateau, however, the Germans slackened their
pursuit for a very brief interval; partly because the terrific strain
of marching and fighting was telling upon them no less than upon
the Allies, partly because the engineers had blown up the bridges
over every river, canal, and stream, behind the retreating armies,
and partly because, under directions from the French commander in
chief, General Manoury was organizing a new force on the British
left, a new Sixth Army, mainly reserve troops, one corps of line
troops, and General Sordet's cavalry. On the right of the British
were General Lanrezac's troops; then, between Lanrezac's Fifth
Army and the Fourth Army, came a Ninth Army, under General Foch,
formed of three corps from the south.

Counterattacks were ordered by the French general in chief, continued
during the entire retreat and had frequently brilliant results.

On August 29, 1914, a corps of the Fifth Army and of the divisions
of reserve attacked with success in the direction of St. Quentin
with the object of withdrawing the pressure on the British army.
Two other corps and a division of reserves joined issue with the
Prussian Guard and the Tenth Corps of the German army which debouched
from Guise. This was a very violent battle, known under the name
of the Battle of Guise. At the end of the day, after various
fluctuations in the fight, the Germans were thrown completely over
the Oise and the entire British front was relieved. The Prussian
Guard on that occasion suffered great losses.

August 27, 1914, the Fourth Army under General de Langle de Cary
succeeded likewise in throwing the enemy across the Meuse as he
endeavored to secure a footing on the left bank. The success continued
on the 28th; on that day a division of this army (First Division of
Morocco under the orders of General Humbert) in