I stopped an orderly, who told me that the German cavalry were firing
on the exit from the town. How many of them he could not say, as they
were hidden in the woods. He told me, too, that the first squadron was
holding all the entrances to the north and east of the village except
the one on the river bank on the road to Marcilly, where my comrade F.
had posted his troop. I decided then to put myself at the disposal of
the party defending the chief exit from the village, the one that
opened into the road to Fismes. It was the most important one, for it
was in that direction that the Germans were retiring.

The village had been prevented from spreading further to the north by
the heights, which formed an abrupt barrier. It is built astride the
road to Fismes, which thus becomes its principal, if not its only,
street. I had then to go right through Jaulgonne before I could get
out of it in the direction of the firing. I soon did this, and found
the horses of the first squadron massed in the short alleys leading
out of the main street. I ordered my troop to dismount in a yard much
too small and very inconvenient. But the first thing to do was to
clear the causeway and shelter our horses from bullets, which might
enfilade the street if the fighting bore away towards the left. Then,
whilst a non-commissioned officer collected the squads for the action
on foot, I ran as far as the furthest houses of the village to
reconnoitre the ground and get orders.

I spied Major P. in a sheltered nook, still mounted, and he told me
of his anxiety about the situation. The enemy riflemen were invisible,
and were riddling the outskirts of the village, while we were unable
to reply; and some guns had been seen which were being got into
position. He advised me to go and see the captain of the first