Von Hausen took the French at Charleroi completely by surprise.
At the moment they could comprehend neither where he came from
nor the measure of his strength. But he was in army force.

The French were compelled to withdraw their right from Charleroi.
Von Hausen seized the advantage to hurl his forces upon their rear,
while Von Bülow thundered in assault more vigorously than ever on
the French front. A powerful force was hurled upon them from an
unexpected direction. Presently the retreat of the French Fifth
Army was threatened by the two Saxon corps of Von Hausen's army,
pressing on the French right flank and rear. In this emergency the
retirement of the French Fifth Army appears to have been undertaken
with spontaneous realization of utmost danger. It gave way before
the attacks of Von Bülow and Von Hausen to move southward, leaving
their British left wing without information of defeat.


* * * * *

CHAPTER IX

BATTLE OF MONS

On Friday, August 21, 1914, the British force began to take position
on the French left, forming the line Binche-Mons-Condé. When finally
concentrated it comprised the First and Second Army Corps, and
General Allenby's cavalry division. The regiments forming the cavalry
division were the Second Dragoon Guards, Ninth Lancers, Fourth
Hussars, Sixth Dragoon Guards, with a contingent of the Household
Guards. The First Army Corps was given the right of the line from