the 3rd of September showed much of
this further change of plan. Long columns were seen marching almost due
east towards the Ourcq and later in the day other columns were nearing
the Marne. Some had already crossed the Marne at Chateau-Thierry, whilst
others were making for crossings west of that town. At 4.35 p.m. General
Headquarters sent out the following telegram:

'Present information leads to the belief that the enemy is moving from
west to east and that no immediate attack is intended. Unless the
situation again changes troops will remain in their present billets. The
Commander-in-Chief is most anxious that the Army should have a complete
rest to-morrow. No digging or other operations except those necessary
for protection will be undertaken unless special orders are issued.'

Pilots who went out soon after dawn on the morning of the 4th found a
thick mist over the river Marne extending to the depth of a mile on
either bank, but various columns were seen stirring out of bivouacs on
the north of the river and there were other movements well to the south
of the river. At 12.20 p.m. Lieutenant R. P. Mills saw movements between
Bellot and Rebais and artillery in action on the high ground one mile
south-east of Bellot. In the afternoon there came fuller reports of
movements towards the Petit Morin. The situation as traced at Royal
Flying Corps headquarters on the night of the 4th from observations made
during the day is very accurate. It shows that the German Ninth Corps,
which had secured the crossings at Chateau-Thierry on the previous
evening, had progressed to near Montmirail; that the Third and Fourth
Corps had got well clear of the Marne and were about and across the
Petit Morin; and that the Second Corps and Marwitz's cavalry were held
up at the Marne east of Meaux.

Von Kluck had marched into a bag between the Fifth French Army on the
Marne and the newly formed Sixth French Army advancing to the Ourcq.
Just at this time the German Supreme Command seems to have become aware
of the danger threatening the German armies on the right wing. On the
night of the 4th of September orders had been sent out from German First
Army headquarters at La Ferte Milon, detailing the movements to be made
on the following day. These movements had already begun when at 7.15
a.m. on the 5th fresh instructions arrived from the Supreme Command
ordering the First and Second Armies to remain facing the eastern front
of Paris; the First