A gallant officer got a company together into the place of arms and
formed in line.
Half the Prussian force went at them, the rest swept the trenches: the
French company delivered a deadly volley, and the next moment clash
the two forces crossed bayonets, and a silent deadly stabbing match was
played: the final result of which was inevitable. The Prussians were
five to one. The gallant officer and the poor fellows who did their duty
so stoutly, had no thought left but to die hard, when suddenly a roaring
cheer seemed to come from the rear rank of the enemy. "France! France!"
Half the 24th brigade came leaping and swarming over the trenches in the
Prussian rear. The Prussians wavered. "France!" cried the little party
that were being overpowered, and charged in their turn with such fury
that in two seconds the two French corps went through the enemy's centre
like paper, and their very bayonets clashed together in more than one
Prussian body.
Broken thus in two fragments the Prussian corps ceased to exist as a
military force. The men fled each his own way back to the fort, and many
flung away their muskets, for French soldiers were swarming in from all
quarters.
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