erman 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 German position at St. Mihiel, in the Verdun section without gaining
any ground. Farther north on this section the French pressed on and
gained a little ground near the German fortress Metz; but the very
vicinity of this fortress counterbalanced this gain.

On January 21, 1915,