valley itself and along its sides, the chief of which is the town of
Soissons.

The Aisne is a sluggish stream of some 170 feet in breadth, but, being
15 feet deep in the centre, it is unfordable. Between Soissons on the
west and Villiers on the east (the part of the river attacked and
secured by the British forces) there are eleven road bridges across it.
On the north bank a narrow-gauge railway runs from Soissons to Vailly,
where it crosses the river and continues eastward along the south bank.
From Soissons to Sermoise a double line of railway runs along the south
bank, turning at the latter place up the Vesle Valley toward Bazoches.

The position held by the enemy is a very strong one, either for delaying
action or for a defensive battle. One of its chief military
characteristics is that from the high ground on neither side can the top
of the plateau on the other side be seen, except for small stretches.
This is chiefly due to the woods on the edges of the slopes. Another
important point is that all the bridges are under direct or high-angle
artillery fire.

The tract of country above described, which lies north of the Aisne, is
well adapted to concealment, and was so skillfully turned to account by
the enemy as to render it impossible to judge the real nature of his
opposition to our passage of the river or accurately to gauge his
strength; but I have every reason to conclude that strong rearguards of
at least three army corps were holding the passages on the early morning
of the 13th.

3. On that morning I ordered the British forces to advance and make good
the Aisne.