and
was in the possession of the French. The French forces attacked
during a drenching rain, pushing up the rising ground to the north
with their heavy guns, regardless of the soft ground which rapidly
turned to deep mud and slush. They succeeded in carrying the first
line of German trenches on a front a mile wide, thus gaining the
top of the hill, which gave them an excellent position for their
artillery. The next day the Germans counterattacked, but failed
to dislodge the French.

Nothing occurred on Sunday, January 10, 1915, but on Monday, about
noon, January 11, the Germans came on with great force. The delay
on the part of the Germans was due to their awaiting reenforcements
then on the road to Soissons. For four days there had been a steady
downpour of rain which had not even stopped at this time. The River
Aisne was much swollen and some of the bridges had been carried
away, cutting off all supplies for the French, who were slowly
giving way but fighting desperately.

On January 12, 1915, and on the 13th the French were driven down
the slopes in a great rush. This predicament was a terrible one--the
onrushing Germans 500 feet in front of them and the swollen river
making successful retreat impossible, with the ground between almost
impassable with mud and slush. French reserves had improvised a
pontoon bridge across the Aisne at Missy, in the rear of their
now precarious position. This bridge was just strong enough to
carry the men and ammunition; but not the heavy guns. The retreat
turned into a rout--a general stampede for the bridge and river.

The slaughter was terrible, the river swollen as it was seemed
choked with floating soldiers. The few who safely got across the
bridge and those who were successful in reaching the farther bank
of the Aisne alive, reached Soissons eventually. The German gain in
prisoners and booty was enormous and their gain in ground advanced
their line a full mile, on a front extending five miles to Missy
and a little beyond. The Germans strongly intrenched their new
position without loss of time.

Farther along this front, in the neighborhood of Perthes, a less
important engagement took place. The Germans, under General von
Einem, opposed General Langle de Cary and his French forces. The
results of this engagement were negligible.

On January 18, 1915, a savage attack by the Germans was successfully
repulsed at Tracy-le-Val and on the 19th the French made an assault
upon the