" says an English newspaper correspondent, "that when the German
cavalry were only 200 yards away one Irish Guardsman momentarily put
down his rifle and begged a cigarette of a comrade, which he coolly
lit. Then they 'prepared to receive cavalry,' and did it in better
order and with much less excitement than if they had been about to
witness the finish of a St. Leger." In this we have an example of the
easy bearing in the presence of the advancing foe for which, by all
accounts, the Irish are remarkable. Such imperturbability springs not
so much from contempt of the enemy, as from confidence in their own
prowess. The two front ranks were kneeling, and presenting a double
row of steel. Their virgin bayonets, seen now for the first time on a
field of battle, glittered as sharp and terrible as if they had around
them the halo of a hundred victories. Standing behind were two other
ranks who poured a stream of rifle fire into the German horsemen. So
the Irish Guards met the whirlwind of galloping horses and flashing
swords, and drove back the survivors in a ragged, straggling line. They
were eager to start winning battle honours for their banners, and Mons
is a brilliant opening of a list that promises to be lengthy and
crowded before this Great War terminates.

Then came the order for a general retreat of the British forces. In
the evening Sir John French found out that he was vastly outnumbered
in men and guns--250,000 Germans to 82,000 British--and saw that if
his Army were to escape being outflanked and annihilated they must
retire until they got behind some substantial line of natural defence
which they could hope to hold against such fearful odds.

The retreat lasted twelve days. It was one long drawn-out rearguard
action. The fighting took place along a line of about twenty-five
miles and backwards for a distance of about eighty miles, which was
covered by forced marches at night as well as by day. Hardly for an
hour were the British permitted any rest or respite. They were
continually harassed by enormous masses of the enemy who by thundering
at their heels and striking at their flanks sought to turn the retreat
into a rout. In that the Germans completely failed. The retirement was
a splendid military achievement. It was also an episode of intense
dramatic interest, and though I am necessarily concerned only with the
part taken by the Irish regiments in the ordeal, it was made memorable
for all time by feats of unpa