Their rifle-fire was steady as the roll of drums.

These were not the regiments that preceded us from India; they had been sent to another section of the battle.

These were men who had been in the fighting from the first, and their wounded and the stretcher-bearers were surprised to see us.

No word of our arrival seemed to reach the firing line as yet.

Men were too busy to pass news.
Over our heads from a mile away, the British and French artillery were sending a storm, of shells, and the enemy guns were answering two for one.