y its faintness or loudness, the
progress of the attack which had been made on the great centre and right
defiles of the forest. In one of these, while I had ridden up as near as
the broken ground would suffer me, towards Count Clairfait, he made a
gesture to me to look upwards, and I saw, almost for the first time, a
smile on his countenance. I followed the gesture, and saw, what to me was
the novelty of a huge shell, leisurely as it seemed, traversing the air.
The Count and his staff immediately galloped in all directions; but I had
not escaped a hundred yards, when the shell dropped into the spot where I
had been standing, and burst with a tremendous explosion almost
immediately on its touching the ground. The cavalry had dispersed and the
explosion was, I believe, without injury. But this, at least, gave
evidence that the enemy were not far off, and the eagerness of the troops
was excited to the highest pitch: all pressed forward to the front, and
their cries, in all the languages of the frontier of Europe, the voices of
the officers, and the clangour of the bugles and trumpets became an
absolute Babel, but an infinitely bold and joyous one. The yagers were now
ordered to clear the way, and a thousand Tyrolese and Transylvanian
sharpshooters rushed forward to line the border. A heavy firing commenced,
and the order was given to halt the cavalry until the effect of the fire
was produced. This was speedily done; the enemy, evidently in inferior
force and unprepared for this attack, gave way, and the first squadrons
which reached the open ground made a dash among them, and took the greater
part prisoners.

This whole day was full of splendid exhibitions. On reaching the edge of
the wood, the first object below us as the succession of deep columns
which I had seen some hours before, and which appeared to have been rooted
to the ground ever since. But an aide-de-camp from the circle where the
count stood, darted down on the plain, and, as if a flash of lightning had
awoke them, all were instantly in motion. The columns on the right now
made a sudden rush forward, and to my surprise, four or five strong
brigades, which rapidly followed from the centre, took up their position.

Varnhorst, who had been beside me during the whole day, now exhibited
great delight. "I told you," said he, "that Clairfait would turn out well.
I see that he has been taught in our school. Observe that manoeuvre;" he
continued his comment with incr