CHAPTER XXXVI ON VON KLUCK's right FLANK 13 Y September i8 the Allied attack, upon the Ger- •*^ man lines from the Oise to the Meuse had come to a dead halt. Further progress on this front was plainly impossible. There remained the chance that by a wide swing to the left around Noyon and to the north of the Somme, a flanking army might come in on von Kluck's right and rear, cut his lines of communication, compel his with- drawal from the Champagne Hills. As Grant struck, by Five Forks at the Confederate right and beyond it at the Richmond and Danville Railroad, using Sheridan as a hammer, the Allies might reach the German railway lines at and beyond St. Qucntin. Such was the purpose of the next move. Von Kluck's battle-line touched the Noyon Hills, west of the Oise and there in strong entrenchments were planted many heavy cannon. Terrific assaults made by the Allies had failed to carry this point. FVom Noyon the German line turned north, in a direction perpendicular to the Soissons-Verdun front and ran north along the Somme. Behind this stream and in front of St. Quentin, their front pro- 203