The troops are not idle meanwhile. After a day’s rest and the reorganisation of the regiments in consequence of losses—which, by the way, amount to only 10 per cent. in the Corps engaged—they were at work again drilling with the same intensity of purpose as if the spring inspections and not a battle lay before them. That was a lesson they learnt from the last war—viz., that the command of men in the squadron or company is personal property, and cannot be handed over like charge of the quartermaster’s store. A leader must know his men, and they must know him by actual contact on the parade ground if the full fighting worth is to be got out of the men. 11 P.M. News of our victory at Alexandrovo has just come in. That will set free a couple of Corps at least for this, the _decisive_ theatre. If only they had our Midland and North-Western traffic managers! SUIPPES, _May 25_, 10 P.M. We move at 5 A.M. to-morrow, direction Bar-le-Duc—_i.e._ S.E. HEITH LE MAURUPT, _May 27_, 10 P.M. Another most decisive victory for the Germans. Censor will not allow any more. CAMP OF CHALONS, _May 31_, 10 A.M. Another victory; now I may tell you all that has happened in the order in which it occurred. As I had anticipated, the French have again tried Bourbaki’s move, with much the same results. As far as we can learn, three Corps were transferred from the line of the northern fortresses, by Paris—Lyons, and the whole of their Army of the East moved northward to meet us, their right on the line of their eastern defences. Our 2d Army moved up both banks of the Aisne to meet them, it was theoretically wrong, no doubt, but we could not help it. The 3d passed troops over the Meuse, to form on their left, and we—_i.e._ the 1st—detached three Corps to reinforce the right, leaving two ‘field’ Corps and a number of Reserve Divisions (I understand six) to hold the Army of the North in check, and retire slowly before it if seriously attacked.