▁August . ▁The ▁ 3 rd ▁Army ▁crossed ▁the ▁Me use ▁and ▁attacked ▁the ▁French ▁right ▁fl ank ▁and ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁August , ▁the ▁Fif th ▁Army ▁began ▁a ▁ret irement ▁south wards ▁to ▁avoid ▁enc irc lement . ▁After ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁St . ▁Qu entin , ▁the ▁French ▁withdraw al ▁continued . ▁On ▁ 2 2 ▁August ▁the ▁BE F ▁advanced ▁and ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁August ▁fought ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁M ons , ▁a ▁delay ing ▁action ▁against ▁the ▁German ▁ 1 st ▁Army , ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁left ▁fl ank ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁Fif th ▁Army . ▁The ▁BE F ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁retre at ▁when ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Army ▁began ▁to ▁over run ▁the ▁British ▁def ences ▁on ▁the ▁right ▁fl ank ▁and ▁the ▁Fif th ▁Army ▁retired ▁from ▁the ▁area ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Sam bre , ▁expos ing ▁the ▁British ▁right ▁fl ank ▁to ▁en velop ment . ▁Nam ur ▁capit ulated ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁August ▁and ▁a ▁Belg ian ▁sortie ▁from ▁Ant werp ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Mal ines ▁▁ ▁After ▁the ▁French ▁defeat ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Lor raine , ▁the ▁French ▁Second ▁Army ▁retre ated ▁to ▁the ▁Grand ▁Cour onn é ▁height s ▁near ▁Nancy ▁and ▁d ug ▁in , ▁on ▁an ▁arc ▁from ▁Pont - à - M ous son ▁to ▁Champ en oux , ▁L un é ville ▁and ▁D omb as le - sur - M eur the ▁by ▁ 3 ▁September . ▁The ▁Battle ▁of