9.
There was a marsh of no great extent between our army and that of the enemy. The
latter were waiting to see if our men would pass this; our men, also, were ready
in arms to attack them while disordered, if the first attempt to pass should be
made by them. In the mean time battle was commenced between the two armies by a
cavalry action. When neither army began to pass the marsh, Caesar, upon the skirmishes of the horse [proving] favorable to our
men, led back his forces into the camp. The enemy immediately hastened from that
place to the river Aisne, which it has
been; stated was behind our camp. Finding a ford there, they endeavored to lead
a part of their forces over it; with the design, that, if they could, they might
carry by storm the fort which Q. Titurius, Caesar's lieutenant, commanded, and might cut off the
bridge; but, if they could not do that, they should lay waste the lands of the
Remi, which were of great use to us in carrying
on the war, and might hinder our men from foraging.
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