ordered to attack and obtain a decisive victory. Bülow reported the battle to Oberste Heeresleitung (OHL, supreme command of the German armies) by wireless as a victory but during the night, captured documents revealed that thirteen French divisions had attacked divisions. Bülow sent a staff officer to the 1st Army (General Alexander von Kluck), to request support for the attack on 30 August. Doubts emerged that the Guard Corps could attack in the morning due to exhaustion and the commander was authorised to withdraw behind the Oise if necessary; the possibility of enveloping the French left flank had passed and operations for local advantage were ordered for the morning. The French resumed the offensive on the morning of 30 August but managed only disjointed attacks which were repulsed; German counter-attacks began before noon. The terrain in the Oise valley was marshy, cut by deep streams and covered by underbrush, with rising ground beyond. German infantry made slow progress through extensive artillery bombardments by both sides. By early afternoon, aircraft reconnaissance reports showed that the French had begun to withdraw behind rearguards. Bülow ordered a pursuit by small infantry parties with field artillery, while the main force paused to rest, due to exhaustion and to concern that the fortress of La Fère obstructed a general advance and would have to be masked while the 1st Army enveloped the French from the west and then attacked on 1 September. The 2nd Army pursuit by small forces took only four guns, and Footnotes References Further reading External links FirstWorldWar.Com St Quentin 1914 St Quentin 1914 St Quentin 1914 St Quentin 1914 St Quentin 1914 1914 in France August 1914 events France–Germany military relations