attle
of musketry was deafening. Champigny, they learned from a wounded
soldier who was making his way to the rear, had been carried, and the
troops there had pushed some distance forward, but on the left
Villiers-la-Desert was found to be too strongly fortified to be taken.
The French batteries were, however, raining shell upon it.

As the Franc-tireurs approached Champigny they saw that the place had
not been taken without a severe struggle. The bodies of French soldiers
strewed the ground thickly, and as they passed through the streets, the
Saxon uniforms were mingled with those of their assailants. The corps
pushed forward until they ascended the low hills behind the village.
Here they found the French troops halted. It was evident Ducrot did not
intend to advance further until joined by the whole of his command.

"This is pure madness," the colonel said; "by to-morrow we shall have
fifty thousand Germans in front of us. If Ducrot hasn't got his whole
force, and his train and ambulances up, he might at least carry Villiers
by assault. Of course it could not be done without loss, but what have
we come out for but to fight. We cannot advance as long as they hold
that place, for when their supports come up, as you may be sure they
will do ere long, they can pour out from there and take us in the rear.
However, we may as well go forward to the skirmishing line. We will work
down by the right. If the German supports come up they are likely to
advance that way, and as I hear no firing in that quarter, we may find
some spot unoccupied by the line."

The order was given, and the corps marched off, and presently took up
their position between the river and the French regiment forming the
extreme right flank of the advance. In extended order and taking
advantage of every inequality of the ground, they pushed on, and after
advancing a quarter of a mile, were brought to a standstill by a sudden
outbreak of musketry fire at various points along the crest of a slight
rise some six hundred yards in front of them. Taking cover behind a low
wall running at right angles to the river, they opened a dropping fire
in return. This, however, was at once stopped by the colonel, who
himself went along the line.

"Don't throw away a shot, lads," he said, "you may want every cartridge
before you have done. It will be time enough to begin when they show in
force over that crest."

There was no more for the men to do than there had been wh