The Project Gutenberg eBook, Foch the Man, by Clara E. Laughlin

Title: Foch the Man

A Life of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Armies

Author: Clara E. Laughlin

Release Date: January 14, 2006 [eBook #17511]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOCH THE MAN***

[Frontispiece: Marshal Foch at the Peace Conference.]

FOCH THE MAN

A Life of
The Supreme Commander
of the
Allied Armies

BY

CLARA E. LAUGHLIN

WITH APPRECIATION BY

LIEUT.-COL. EDOUARD RÉQUIN

of the French High Commission to the United States

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION

NEW YORK ———— CHICAGO

Fleming H. Revell Company

LONDON AND EDINBURGH

Copyright, 1918, 1919, by

FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY

First Printing - November 11, 1918
Second Printing - November 19, 1918
Third Printing - November 29, 1918
Fourth Printing - December 7, 1918
Fifth Printing - January 9, 1919
Sixth Printing - May 1, 1919

DEDICATION

TO THE MEN WHO HAVE FOUGHT UNDER GENERAL
FOCH'S COMMAND. TO ALL Of THEM, IN ALL
GRATITUDE. BUT IN AN ESPECIAL WAY TO THE MEN
OF THE 42D DIVISION, THE SPLENDOR OF
WHOSE CONDUCT ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1914,
NO PEN WILL EVER BE ABLE
ADEQUATELY TO COMMEMORATE.

[Illustration: Hand-written letter from Foch.]

[Illustration: Page 1 of hand-written letter from Lt.-Colonel E. Réquin to Clara Laughlin.]

[Illustration: Page 2 of hand-written letter from Lt.-Colonel E. Réquin to Clara Laughlin.]

[Transcriber's note: The letter in the second and third illustrations is shown translated on the following page.]

Dear MADEMOISELLE LAUGHLIN:

I have read with the keenest interest your sketch of the life of Marshal Foch. It is not yet history: we are too close to events to write it now, but it is the story of a great leader of men on which I felicitate you because of your real understanding of his character.

Christian, Frenchman, soldier, Foch will be held up as an example for future generations as much for his high moral standard as for his military genius.

It seems that in writing about him the style rises with the noble sentiments which inspire him.

Thus in form of presentation as well as in substance you convey admirably the great lesson which applies to each one of us from the life of Marshal Foch.

Please accept, Mademoiselle, this expression of my respectful regards.

LT.-COLONEL E. RÉQUIN.

"THEY SHALL NOT PASS!"

Three Spirits stood on the mountain peak
        And gazed on a world of red,--
Red with the blood of heroes,
        The living and the dead;
A mighty force of Evil strove
        With freemen, mass on mass.
Three Spirits stood on the mountain peak
        And cried: "They shall not pass!"

The Spirits of Love and Sacrifice,
        The Spirit of Freedom, too,--
They called to the men they had dwelt among
        Of the Old World and the New!
And the men came forth at the trumpet call,
        Yea, every creed and class;
And they stood with the Spirits who called to them,
        And cried: "They shall not pass!"

Far down the road of the Future Day
        I see the world of Tomorrow;
Men and women at work and play,
        In the midst of their joy and sorrow.
And every night by the red firelight,
        When the children gather 'round
They tell the tale of the men of old.
These noble ancestors, grim and bold,
        Who bravely held their ground.
In thrilling accents they often speak
Of the Spirits Three on the mountain peak.

                        O Freedom, Love and Sacrifice
                                You claimed our men, alas!
                        Yet everlasting peace is theirs
                                Who cried, "They shall not pass!"

ARTHUR A. PENN.

Reprinted by permission of M. Witmark & Sons, N. Y.
Publishers of the musical setting to this poem.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD TO REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION

I. WHERE HE WAS BORN

Stirring traditions and historic scenes which surrounded him in childhood.

II. BOYHOOD SURROUNDINGS

The horsemarkets at Tarbes. The school. Foch at twelve a student of Napoleon.

III. A YOUNG SOLDIER OF A LOST CAUSE

What Foch suffered in the defeat of France by the Prussians.

IV. PARIS AFTER THE GERMANS LEFT

Foch begins his military studies, determined to be ready when France should again need