ACHIEVEMENTS OF FIELD ARTILLERY. 
671 
of the Artillery of the Guard. The infantry pressing forward inter¬ 
fered with the action of the batteries to some extent, and the guns 
were sent to the front again so as to be able to co-operate more 
effectively with the sister arm. Six batteries forming the right wing 
of the artillery line galloped ahead, therefore, and reached the high 
ground south of St. Privat almost simultaneously with their own 
skirmishers. The left wing, reinforced by two Horse batteries of the 
lUth Corps, similarly pressed forward, joined the infantry firing line, 
and turned their guns on the walls of the village. The effect of this 
fire was so murderous that some French officers who were taken 
prisoners assured Prince Kraft, who commanded the Artillery of the 
Guard, that had the assault been delayed for half-an-hour no defenders 
would have been found remaining in the village. 
But that movement was now fairly under way and had to be per¬ 
severed in although men were falling rapidly, and the advance up the 
slope in the teeth of a remorseless fire from a foe under cover 
resembled a forlorn hope. Eventually, however, the heights were 
gained, but the danger was by no means over yet, for Cissey^s Division 
advanced to dislodge the victors, and, weakened and tired as they 
were, it was all the Guards could do to hold the ground they had won 
so dearly. The enemy^ fire from St. Privat and Amanvilliers also 
swept their ranks, and the situation was, in fact, most precarious. 
Anxious eyes were looking back for the advancing artillery, and the 
cry for support was responded with ready goodwill by the nearest 
guns. 1 2 
Captain von Prittwitz had noted the danger, and without waiting 
for orders led his battery (the 2nd heavy battery of the Guard) up the 
slope, and coming into action along side the hard-pressed infantry its 
fire maintained the safety of the important point which they had 
captured against all the attacks that were directed on it. And the 
battery paid dearly for its temerity. Heavy losses were experienced 
from the hostile musketry fire, and Lieutenant von Winterfeld was 
severely wounded, while in the advance three guns had to be left 
behind, “one of them having lost all its drivers.” 3 Nor was this 
battery alone in gallantry. With equally splendid courage did the 
3rd light battery of the Guard Corps Artillery also press forward, and, 
in spite of severe loss and the death of its Captain, made its weight 
felt. These two were followed by Captain Seeger, and all directed a 
most deliberate and effective fire on the enemy, who advanced against 
them from Amanvilliers. Prince Kraft tells the story thus :— 
“ The battery 3 galloped up the slope of the hill and joined the skir¬ 
mishers as they moved to the assault ; only three guns at first reached 
the top, the three others having lost horses as they advanced. At the 
spot where the battery came up, the crest of the hill is so wide that it 
almost amounts to a plateau. The enemy^s skirmishers were flying 
before ours. But at a distance of from 300 to 500 paces in front of 
us,"masses of the enemy in quarter columns, were advancing to dis- 
1 Official account, Part I., Yol.|II. 
2 Hoffbauer’s account. 
3 That of Von Prittwitz. 
