3 rd , ▁ 4 th ▁and ▁ 5 th ▁arm ies . ▁The ▁ 6 th ▁and ▁ 7 th ▁arm ies ▁were ▁ordered ▁to ▁end ▁their ▁attacks ▁and ▁dig ▁in . ▁The ▁withdraw al ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁make ▁time ▁for ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁Army ▁to ▁be ▁transferred ▁from ▁Als ace , ▁to ▁the ▁right ▁wing ▁near ▁the ▁O ise ▁but ▁Franco - B rit ish ▁attacks ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁Army ▁being ▁sent ▁to ▁fill ▁the ▁gap ▁between ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁and ▁ 2 nd ▁arm ies ▁instead . ▁Mol t ke ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁Fal ken h ay n ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁September , ▁by ▁when ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Army ▁had ▁reached ▁the ▁A is ne , ▁with ▁its ▁right ▁fl ank ▁on ▁the ▁O ise ▁and ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁Army ▁had ▁assemble d ▁on ▁the ▁A is ne , ▁between ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁and ▁ 2 nd ▁arm ies . ▁Further ▁east ▁the ▁ 3 rd , ▁ 4 th ▁and ▁ 5 th ▁arm ies ▁had ▁d ug ▁in ▁from ▁Pro s nes ▁to ▁Verd un , ▁secure ▁from ▁front al ▁attacks . ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Army ▁was ▁still ▁vulner able ▁on ▁its ▁northern ▁fl ank , ▁to ▁attacks ▁by ▁French ▁troops ▁transferred ▁from ▁the ▁south , ▁which ▁could ▁be ▁moved ▁faster ▁over ▁und am aged ▁rail ways , ▁than ▁German ▁troops ▁using ▁lines ▁dam aged ▁during ▁the ▁Great ▁Ret re at . ▁General ▁Wilhelm ▁Gro ener , ▁head