st a stone wall.... They crept nearer and nearer, and then our
officers gave the word. A sheet of flame flickered along the line of
trenches and a stream of bullets tore through the advancing mass of
Germans. They seemed to stagger like a drunken man hit between the eyes,
after which they made a run for us.... Halfway across the open another
volley tore through their ranks, and by this time our artillery began
dropping shells around them. Then an officer gave an order and they
broke into open formation, rushing like mad toward the trenches on our
left. Some of our men continued the volley firing, but a few of our
crack shots were told off for independent firing.... They fell back in
confusion, and then lay down wherever cover was available. We gave them
no rest, and soon they were on the move again in flight.... This sort of
thing went on through the whole day."

From another view we gather that "We were in the trenches waiting for
them, but we didn't expect anything like the smashing blow that struck
us. All at once, so it seemed, the sky began to rain down bullets and
shells. At first they went wide ... but after a time ... they got our
range and then they fairly mopped us up.... I saw many a good comrade go
out."

During the early part of the battle Von Kluck directed his main attack
upon the British right, with a furious artillery bombardment of Binche
and Bray. This was coincident with the crumpling of the French right at
Charleroi by the army of Von Buelow, and its threatened retreat by that
of Von Hausen. The retirement of the French Fifth Army, therefore, left
General Haig exposed to a strong flank attack by Von Kluck. Confronted
with this danger, General Haig was compelled to withdraw his right to a
rise of ground southward of Bray. This movement left Mons the salient of
an angle between the First and Second British Army Corps. Shortly after
this movement was performed, General Hamilton, in command of Mons, found
himself in peril of converging German front and flank attacks. If the
Germans succeeded in breaking through the British line beyond Mons, he
would be cut off and surrounded. General Hamilton informed his superior,
General French, of this danger, and was advised in return "to be careful
not to keep the troops in the salient too long, but, if threatened
seriously to draw back the center behind Mons."

A little after General French had sent General Hamilton this warning, he
received a telegram from Gene