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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. The artillery fire of the British
was good and in a running fight, such as this retreat, the light
field artillery of the French did terrible execution. The brunt of
the British fighting was at La Tretoire. General d'Esperey fought
steadily forward all day, driving the retreating army as closely
as he could, but proceeding warily because of General von Kluck's
powerful counterattacks. The fighting was continuous from the first
break of daylight until after dusk had fallen, and it was in the
twilight that the French Army at last carried Montmirail on the
Petit Morin, a feat of strategic value, since it exposed the right
flank of Von Buelow's army, exposed by the retreat of General von
Kluck.

From this review of the forced retirement of General von Kluck,
it will be seen that the German right was compelled to sustain an
attack at three points, from the Sixth French Army on the banks of
the Ourcq, from the British army in the region of Coulommiers and
from the Fifth French Army near Courtacon. Each of these attacks
was of a widely different character. The result of this attack
lias been shown in the summary of the three days (four days on
the Ourcq) which resulted in the British capture of Coulommiers
and in the French capture of Montmirail. This was General Joffre's