and I should not be
altogether dead to them. But I clung to life while I saw how terrible
was the conflict before us.

Buche said to me, "Joseph, will you promise me something?--I have a
cross--if I am killed."

He shook my hand, and I said: "I promise."

"Well!" he added, "it is here on my breast. You must carry it to
Harberg and hang it up in the chapel in remembrance of Jean Buche, dead
in the faith of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

He spoke very earnestly, and I thought his wish very natural. Some die
for the rights of Humanity; with some, the last thought is for their
mother, others are influenced by the example of just men who have
sacrificed themselves for the race, but the feeling is the same in
every case, though each one expresses it according to his own manner of
thinking.

I gave him the desired promise and we waited for nearly half an hour
longer. All the troops as they left the wood came and formed near us,
and the cavalry were mustering on our right as if to attack Sombref.

Up to half-past two o'clock not a gun had been fired, when an
aid-de-camp of the Emperor arrived on the road to Fleurus, at full
speed, and I thought immediately, "Our turn has come now. May God
watch over us, for, miserable wretches that we are, we cannot save
ourselves in such a slaughter as is threatening."

I had scarcely made these reflections when two battalions on the right
set off on the road, with the artillery, toward Sombref, where the
Uhlans and Prussian cavalry were deploying in front of our dragoons.
It was the fortune of these two battalions to remain in position on the
route all that day to observe the cavalry of the enemy, while we went
to take the village where the Prussians were in force.

The attacking columns were formed just as the clock struck three; I was
in the one on the left which moved first at a quick step along a
winding road.

On the hill where Ligny was situated, was an immense ruin. It had been
built of brick and was pierced with holes and overlooked us as we
mounted the hill. We watched it sharply too, through the grain as we
went. The second column left immediately after us and passed by a
shorter route directly up the hill, we were to meet them at the
entrance to the village. I do not know when the third column left, as
we did not meet again till later.

All went smoothly until we reached a point where the road was cut
through a little elevation and then ran down