670 
ACHIEVEMENTS OP FIELD ARTILLERY. 
marks that he was able to produce the greatest effect upon them. He 
repeatedly scared away the French batteries, which attempted to take 
up a position near the burning Moscou, and the infantry which strove 
to advance from thence.” 
That guns firing only common shell should be able to effect so much 
from ground within a few hundred paces of hostile infantry firing on 
them with the Chassepot, which was capable of effective aimed fire at 
1500 yards, says much in favour of the gunner's claim that his arm 
is capable of something considerably more than the merely moral effect 
with which only it is occasionally accredited. Nor must it be forgotten 
that they thus faced an almost impregnable position, nob borne onward 
in the rush of a pronounced success, but rather to avert disaster during 
the long drawn stress of a doubtful fight. Captain Gniigge's battery 
lost 2 men and 26 horses killed, and 1 officer, 12 men, and 14 horses 
wounded. 
While the battle was thus indecisively dying away on the German 
right and centre, and the guns were straining every effort to avert 
defeat, greater issues were being attained far away on their extreme 
left. 1 
At two o'clock the Artillery of the Guard and 3rd Corps had been 
sent to the support of that of the 9th, and between Verneville and St. 
Ail 130 guns were soon in action, and destroyed any chance the French 
ever possessed of here making an effective counter-stroke. The main 
body of the Guard was at this hour at St. Ail, and General von Pape, 
recognising that the French line was prolonged further than had been 
imagined, saw the necessity of capturing St. Marie-aux-Chenes ere any 
further progress could he hoped for. But before attempting to do this 
he must wait for the arrival of the Saxon contingent. The Guards 
had sent away most of their guns to support the 9th Corps, so the 
assistance they received when the Saxon batteries came into action 
west of St. Marie about three o'clock was most welcome. Then ten 
batteries opened on the village, and in half-an-hour it was carried by 
assault, while, as we have seen, Champenois was captured by the 9th 
Corps soon afterwards. Then the fight remained stationary till between 
5.30 and 6 o'clock, when the celebrated attack of the Guards on the 
strong French position at St. Privat was impatiently launched before 
the German batteries had thoroughly prepared the way for it. 
Prince Kraft says that the artillery did not know that this assault 
was intended, and were first apprised of the fact by the advancing 
infantry masking their fire, or they would have forced a way for the 
infantry in this case as successfully as they had previously done at St. 
Marie. 
As it was, if the infantry did not wait for them they did not wait for 
the infantry, but hurried on with the assault to the very closest quarters, 
till twelve batteries of the Guard were soon standing with the firing 
line in the very thick of the fight. 
The Hessian batteries in front of Amanvilliers supported this forward 
movement, and eventually some of them came into action on the right 
1 General Sheridan, who was a spectator at this portion of the battle-field when he saw the 
panic just described, was of opinion that the Germans would lose the day. 
