France the story of that retirement is as glorious as anything in
her history. It was nearly a fortnight ago that the Germans concentrated
their heaviest forces upon Namur and began to press southward and over
the Meuse Valley. After the battle of Dinant the French Army, among whom
were the Second and Seventh Corps, was heavily outnumbered and had to
fall back gradually, in order to gain time for reinforcements to come
up.

French artillery was up on the wooded heights above the river and swept
the German regiments with a storm of fire as they advanced. On the right
bank the French infantry was intrenched, supported by field guns and
mitrailleuses, and did deadly work before leaping from trenches which
they occupied and taking up a position in new trenches further back,
which they held with great tenacity.

In justice to the Germans it must be said they were heroic in courage
and reckless of their lives, and the valley of the Meuse was choked with
their corpses. The river itself was strewn with the dead bodies of men
and horses and literally ran red with blood.

The most tremendous fighting took place for the possession of the
bridges, but the French engineers blew them up one after another as they
retired southward.

No less than thirty-three bridges were destroyed in this way before they
could be seized by the German advance guard. The fighting was extended
for a considerable distance on either side of the Meuse and many
engagements took place between French and German cavalry and regiments
working away from the main armies.

There was, for instance, a memorable encounter at Marville which is one
of the most heroic episodes of the war. Five thousand French soldiers of
all arms, with quick-firers, engaged 20,000 German infantry. In spite of
being outnumbered, the French beat back the enemy from point to point in
a fight lasting for twelve hours, inflicting tremendous punishment and
suffering very few losses.

The German officer captured expressed his unbounded admiration for the
valor of the French troops, which he described as superb. It was only
for fear of getting too far out of touch with the main forces that the
gallant 5,000 desisted from their irresistible attack and retired with a
large number of German helmets as trophies of the victorious action.

Nevertheless, in accordance with the general plan which had been decided
on by the Generals, in view of the superior numbers temporarily pressing
upon them,