t morning, August 25, 1914. He had decided upon a
new position about the town of Le Cateau, east of Cambrai. Before dawn,
August 25, 1914, the southward march over rough, hilly country was
resumed, and toward evening of August 25, 1914, after a long, hard day's
fighting march over the highroads, in midsummer heat and thundershowers,
the Guards Brigade and other regiments of the Second Corps, wet and
weary, arrived at the little market town of Landrecies. From Landrecies,
after an encounter with a German column, they marched south toward
Wassigny on Guise.

[Illustration: Battle of Mons and Retreat of Allied Armies.]

While the night attack on Landrecies was raging, the Germans, taxing
their men to the uttermost, marched four other corps through the tract
of country between the west side of the forest and the road from
Valenciennes to Cambrai. These corps were in a position along
Smith-Dorrien's front before dawn of Wednesday, August, 26, 1914, and in
the earliest hours of the morning it became apparent that the Germans
were determined to throw the bulk of their strength against the British
battalions which had moved up to a position south of the small town of
Solesmes, extending to the south of Cambrai. Thus placed, this force
could shield the Second Corps, now beginning its retreat under pressure
of the German army advancing from Tournai. These troops under General
Snow were destined to play an important part in the impending battle of
Le Cateau.

By sunrise the guns of the four German corps were firing from positions
facing the British left, and gray-green masses of infantry were pressing
forward in dense firing lines. In view of this attack, General
Smith-Dorrien judged it impossible to continue his retreat at daybreak.
The First Corps was at that moment scarcely out of difficulty, and
General Sordet--whose troops had been fighting hard on the flank of the
Fifth French Army, with General Lanrezac, against General von Buelow's
hosts--was unable to help the British, owing to the exhausted state of
his cavalry. The situation was full of peril; indeed, Wednesday bade
fair to become the most critical day of the retreat.

As the day of August 26, 1914, wore on, General von Kluck, abandoning
frontal attacks, began to use his superior numbers in a great enveloping
move on both flanks, and some of his batteries secured positions from
which they could enfilade the British line. Smith-Dorrien, having no
available reserves,