All were suffering the same cruel doubt.

"We do not understand." And doubt was making still more distressing this day-and-night march with only the briefest rests--because the heads of the divisions were in hourly fear of being cut off from the rest of the army.

"One effort more, boys! Courage! Soon we shall rest!" The columns in their retirement were extending hundreds of miles.

Desnoyers was seeing only one division.

Others and still others were doing exactly this same thing at that very hour, their recessional extending across half of France.
All, with the same disheartened obedience, were falling back, the men exclaiming the same as the officials, "We don't understand.