On December 3, 1914, the French captured Burnhaupt, a hill east of Muelhausen in Upper Alsace, only to give up their advantage after a German counterattack.  On December 16 the Germans attacked in the Woevre region and in Alsace; but were repulsed the following day.  On December 31, 1914, the French attacked Steinbach in Alsace, but were driven out again.

The New Year of 1915 opened gently along the battle front in France below Arras.  The first large movement in 1915 began on January 8, at Soissons.  This city lies on both banks of the river Aisne and was in the possession of the French.  The French forces attacked during a drenching rain, pushing up the rising ground to the north with their heavy guns, regardless of the soft ground which rapidly turned to deep mud and slush.  They succeeded in carrying the first line of German trenches on a front a mile wide, thus gaining the top of the hill, which gave them an excellent position for their artillery.  The next day the Germans counterattacked, but failed to dislodge the French.

Nothing occurred on Sunday, January 10, 1915, but on Monday, about noon, January 11, the Germans came on with great force.  The delay on the part of the Germans was due to their awaiting reenforcements then on the road to Soissons.  For four days there had been a steady downpour of rain which had not even stopped at this time.  The River Aisne was much swollen and some of the bridges had been carried away, cutting off all supplies for the French, who were slowly giving way but fighting desperately.

On January 12, 1915, and on the 13th the French were driven down the slopes in a great rush.  This predicament was a terrible one—­the onrushing Germans 500 feet in front of them and the swollen river making successful retreat impossible, with the ground between almost impassable with mud and slush.  French reserves had improvised a pontoon bridge across the Aisne at Missy, in the rear of their now precarious position.  This bridge was just strong enough to carry the men and ammunition; but not the heavy guns.  The retreat turned into a rout—­a general stampede for the bridge and river.

The slaughter was terrible, the river swollen as it was seemed choked with floating soldiers.  The few who safely got across the bridge and those who were successful in reaching the farther bank of the Aisne alive, reached Soissons eventually.  The German gain in prisoners and booty was enormous and their gain in ground advanced their line a full mile, on a front extending five miles to Missy and a little beyond.  The Germans strongly intrenched their new position without loss of time.

Farther along this front, in the neighborhood of Perthes, a less important engagement took place.  The Germans, under General von Einem, opposed General Langle de Cary and his French forces.  The results of this engagement were negligible.

On January 18, 1915, a savage attack by the Germans was successfully repulsed at Tracy-le-Val and on the 19th the French made an assault upon the German position at St. Mihiel, in the Verdun section without gaining any ground.  Farther north on this section the French pressed on and gained a little ground near the German fortress Metz; but the very vicinity of this fortress counterbalanced this gain.