ce of a
hilly country is presented where the pit mounds have been planted
with fir trees. Apart from its mining aspect, Mons is a city of
historic importance. It contains a Gothic cathedral and town hall
of medieval architectural note. It also, cherishes a special yearly
fete of its own on Trinity Sunday, when in the parade of the Limacon,
or snail, the spectacle of St. George and the Dragon is presented.
With great pride the citizens of Mons showed the British soldiers
of occupation an ancient cannon, claimed to have been used by their
forefathers as an ally of the English at Crecy.

Especially east of Mons, toward Binche, the British line ran through
this district. Several of the greatest European battles have been
fought in its vicinity--Ramilles, Malplaquet, Jemappe, and Ligny.

The night of Saturday, August 23, 1914, passed peacefully for the
British soldiers, still working on their trenches. But distant boom
of guns from the east continued to vibrate to them at intervals.
Of its portend they knew nothing. Doubtless as they plied the shovel
they again speculated over it, wondering and possibly regretting
a chance of their having been deprived of the anticipated battle.

Sunday morning, August 24, 1914, dawned brightly with no sign of
the enemy. In Mons and the surrounding villages the workmen donned
their usual holiday attire, women stood about their doors chatting,
children played in the streets. Church bells rung as usual summoning
to public worship. General French gathered his generals for an
early conference. General Joffre's message on Saturday morning,
assured General French of victory, and positively informed him
that Von Kluck was advancing upon him with no more than one or
two army corps. In testimony of it, General French thus wrote a
subsequent official dispatch.

"From information I received from French headquarters, I understood
that little more than one or at most two of the enemy's army corps,
with perhaps one cavalry division, were in front of my position,
and I was aware of no outflanking movement attempted by the enemy"
(Von Hausen's advance on the right). "I was confirmed in this opinion
by the fact that my patrols encountered no undue opposition in
their reconnoitering operations. The observations of my aeroplanes
seemed also to bear out this estimate."

To General French, therefore, his position seemed well secured.
In the light of it he awaited Von Kluck's attack with confidence.
Toward