▁right ▁fl ank ▁protected ▁by ▁the ▁N inth ▁Army ▁along ▁the ▁St . ▁G ond ▁mar sh es . ▁The ▁French ▁First , ▁Second , ▁Third ▁and ▁Four th ▁arm ies ▁to ▁the ▁east , ▁were ▁to ▁resist ▁the ▁attacks ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁ ▁between ▁Verd un ▁and ▁Toul ▁and ▁rep ulse ▁an ▁en velop ing ▁attack ▁on ▁the ▁def ences ▁south ▁of ▁Nancy ▁from ▁the ▁north . ▁The ▁ 6 th ▁and ▁ 7 th ▁arm ies ▁were ▁rein for ced ▁by ▁heavy ▁art illery ▁from ▁Met z ▁and ▁attacked ▁again ▁on ▁ 4 ▁September ▁along ▁the ▁Mos elle . ▁ ▁On ▁ 5 ▁September , ▁the ▁Six th ▁Army ▁advanced ▁east wards ▁from ▁Paris ▁and ▁met ▁the ▁German ▁IV ▁Reserve ▁Corps , ▁which ▁had ▁moved ▁into ▁the ▁area ▁that ▁morning ▁and ▁stopped ▁the ▁French ▁advance ▁short ▁of ▁high ▁ground ▁north ▁of ▁Me aux . ▁O vern ight , ▁the ▁IV ▁Reserve ▁Corps ▁with d rew ▁to ▁a ▁better ▁position ▁ ▁east ▁and ▁French ▁air ▁reconna issance ▁observed ▁German ▁forces ▁moving ▁north ▁to ▁face ▁the ▁Six th ▁Army . ▁General ▁Alexander ▁von ▁Kl uck ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Army ▁commander , ▁ordered ▁the ▁II ▁Corps ▁to ▁move ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁bank ▁of ▁the ▁Mar ne , ▁which ▁began ▁a ▁re deploy ment ▁of ▁all ▁four ▁ 1 st ▁Army ▁corps ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁bank ▁by ▁ 8 ▁September . ▁The ▁swift ▁move ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁bank ▁prevent ed ▁the ▁Six th ▁Army ▁from ▁crossing ▁the ▁Our c q ▁but ▁created ▁a