Then all thoughts of any kind upon the subject were driven from his mind by the flash of firing that came from Chastel.
The rifles were rattling fast, and with them soon came the heavy crash of artillery.

Bougainville ran up and down his lines, but, to John's surprise, he was holding his men back, rather than urging them on.

But he quickly saw the reason.

He heard the hissing and shrieking of shells over his head and he saw them bursting in Chastel.

The fire increased so fast and became so tremendous in volume that all the French lay down in the snow, and John put his fingers in his ears lest he be deafened.
He understood the purpose of the French commander.