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MARNE 131 MARNE Kluck's) and the Second (Von Billow's) Armies. A Ninth French Army under General Foch occupied the center of the line, joining Langle de Gary's Fourth Army eastward, where they were op- posed by the Third Saxon and the Duke of Wiirttemberg's Fourth Army. Farther east beyond the plain of Chalons were the Third French (Sarrail), Second (Castelnau), and First (Dubail) facing the Crown Prince of Prussia, the Crown Prince of Bavaria, and General von Hee- ringen. The Prussian Crown Prince's D'Esperey had failed, and Manoury and Sir John French had turned his flank. The British had spread over the country between the Grande and Petit Morin and by night were in contact with Von Kluck's rear guard. D'Esperey cap- tured Montmirail on the Petit Morin, ex- posing Von Kluck's right flank, and at night General Foch pushed forward his left wing and secured a position to the left of Von Billow. Foch discovered also a gap between Von Kluck and Von Bil- low's right, and by a daring move drove SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE, JULY TO AUGUST, 1918 army was driven back by Dubail, Sar- rail, and Castelnau, and held from Nancy and Verdun. Manoury's Sixth was divided only from Von Kluck by the river Ourcq. The German general crossed the Ourcq and fell upon the French Sixth Army with such violence that for two days eictory hung in the balance for either side. Then 20,000 men, Republican Guards and gendarmes were rushed to the scene from Paris in cabs and auto- mobiles and the Germans were forced to withdraw. Meanwhile D'Esperey's Fifth French Army on Sept. 6 had fought off the Third and Fourth German Corps. The British co-operated in these opera- tions, but the French bore the brunt of the fighting. On Sept. 7, the British and Fifth French moved northward. The Sixth French Army still struggled on the Ourcq. The Fifth drove the Ger- mans back to the Petit Morin river. Foch's army held ground, fighting hard. Th? French on the 8th advanced to Cha- teau-Thierry to reach the Marne river. The entire German right was in retreat. Von Kluck's frontal movement against his right between the two German armies. On the 9th Manoury won the line of the Ourcq; the British forced the Petit Morin, and by nightfall were near the Marne. Von Kluck was in full retreat. By night D'Esperey, advancing from Montmirail, was in touch with the Brit- ish at Chateau-Thierry. The German right had given way and Von Billow's right, furiously attacked by Foch in the morning of Sept. 9, while holding ground was still in peril. Two of Von Billow's corps, driven into the marshes of St. Gond, lost heavily before they could gain high ground on the following morning. Von Billow's left and Von Hausen came under especially heavy French artillery fire, while at the same time Foch and Langle de Gary made violent direct at- tacks. Von Billow was driven several miles toward Epernay and Von Hausen almost to Chalons. The Germans had now received reinforcements and their defense stiffened, but nothing could check seriously the Allies' drive. By night on Sept. 10 the battle was in its last throes. General Foch was near Chalons and