enched line of defense was being taken up from the north of
Compiegne, eastward and southeastward, along the whole Valley of the
Aisne up to and beyond Rheims.

A few days previously the Fortress of Maubeuge fell, and a considerable
quantity of siege artillery was brought down from that place to
strengthen the enemy's position in front of us.

During the 15th shells fell in our position which have been judged by
experts to be thrown by eight-inch siege guns with a range of 10,000
yards. Throughout the whole course of the battle our troops have
suffered very heavily from this fire, although its effect latterly was
largely mitigated by more efficient and thorough intrenching, the
necessity for which I impressed strongly upon army corps commanders. In
order to assist them in this work all villages within the area of our
occupation were searched for heavy intrenching tools, a large number of
which were collected.

In view of the peculiar formation of the ground on the north side of the
river between Missy and Soissons, and its extraordinary adaptability to
a force on the defensive, the Fifth Division found it impossible to
maintain its position on the southern edge of the Chivres Plateau, as
the enemy in possession of the Village of Vregny to the west was able to
bring a flank fire to bear upon it. The division had, therefore, to
retire to a line the left of which was at the village of Marguerite, and
thence ran by the north edge of Missy back to the river to the east of
that place.

With great skill and tenacity Sir Charles Fergusson maintained this
position throughout the whole battle, although his trenches were
necessarily on lower ground than that occupied by the enemy on the
southern edge of the plateau, which was only 400 yards away.

Gen. Hamilton with the Third Division vigorously attacked to the north,
and regained all the ground he had lost on the 15th, which throughout
the battle has formed a most powerful and effective bridge-head.

6. On the 16th the Sixth Division came up into line.

It had been my intention to direct the First Corps to attack and seize
the enemy's position on the Chemin-des-Dames, supporting it with this
new reinforcement. I hoped, from the position thus gained, to bring
effective fire to bear across the front of the Third Division, which,
by securing the advance of the latter, would also take the pressure off
the Fifth Division and the Third Corps.

But any further advance of the Fi