ass boldly--often charged our advance, and
gave way only when they were on the point of being surrounded. But our
superiority of discipline and numbers combined, did not suffer the success
to be for a moment doubtful. Still, as we followed, the battle raged in
the depths of the forest, already as dark as if night had come on--our
only light the incessant illumination of the musketry, and the bursts of
fire from the howitzers and guns.

As we were standing on the last height at the entrance of the defile,
"Look round," exclaimed Varnhorst, "and take your first lesson in our art,
if you ever adopt the trade of soldiership. The Duke has outwitted the
Frenchman. I suspected something of this sort in the morning, when I first
heard his guns so far to the right. I allow that the enemy may be puzzled
for a while who has five passes to defend, with half a dozen leagues
between them, and a Prussian army in front ready to make him choose. He
has evidently drawn off the strength of his troops to the Duke's point of
attack, and has stripped the wing before us. Clairfait's mass has been
thrown upon it, and the day is our own. Onward."

The roads and the surrounding glades gave fearful evidence of the
obstinacy of the struggle; but it also gave some curious evidence of the
force of habit in making light of the troubles of life. The cavalry, which
had been comparatively unemployed, from the nature of the service during
the day, had taken advantage of the opportunity to consult their own
comfort as much as possible. On the flank and rear of the infantry the
troopers had taken the whole affair _en amateur_, and had lit their
campfires, cooked their rations, handsomely augmented by the general
spoliation of the hen-coops within many a league. Something like a fair
was established round them by the suttlers; while the shells were actually
falling and many a branch was shattered over their banquets by the shot
which constantly whizzed through the trees. But, "_Vive la fortune!_" Even
the sober Teuton and the rough son of the Bannat could enjoy the few
moments that war gives to festivity, and what the next night or morning
might bring was not suffered to disturb their sense of "schnapps," and
their supper.

The trampling of horses in our rear, and the galloping of the chasseurs of
the ducal escort, now told us that the generalissimo was at hand. He rode
up in high spirits, received our congratulations with princely courtesy,
and bestowed