The French advance in the center was coming, and this German army also must soon go into action.
He was confirmed in his belief by a hurried order to the guards to go eastward with the prisoners.

As the captives, the wounded and the unwounded, marched off through the forest of Senouart they heard at a distance, but behind them, the opening of a huge artillery fire.

It was so tremendous that they could feel the shaking of the earth as they walked, and despite the hurrying of their guards they stopped at the crest of a low ridge to look back.
They gazed across a wide valley toward high green hills, along which they saw rapid and many flashes.

John longed now for the glasses which had been taken from him when he was captured, but he was quite sure that the flashes were made by French guns.

From a point perhaps a mile in front of the prisoners masked German batteries were replying.