We had not marched more than 500 yards, and got to the outskirts of the
town, when we heard a cavalry patrol coming towards us, the officers
speaking in French. Our captain immediately challenged in French, and
we got no reply. The captain then realized they were Germans, and
the order came, “Fire!” The German officers dashed forward and seized
the muzzles of the front-rank rifles a second before we had the order
“Fire!” and a proper mêlée took place. A German slashed one of our
chaps’ head nearly off. All of them (Germans) were wiped out in a few
seconds. After that we fired volleys as they charged down on us, and
they never got within 50 yards of us. They brought a big gun, and then
it was a perfect hell. The gun was only 400 yards away, and was blazing
shrapnel into us. Five times we silenced it. It was hell all night. I
was shot, and carted off to hospital. My rifle stopped the bullet, and
saved my life, or I should have got it in the chest: _A Guardsman, at
Mons_.