The plateau of Avron was literally inundated with shells, many of them of far larger size than had previously been fired.

The range of the guns was too great, and it was evident that the Prussians had rectified their aim.

Their projectiles no longer fell wide in the field; they almost all burst close to the trenches.

Two guns in battery No.

2 were struck; the same thing soon occurred in battery No.3.Every moment the wheels of some ammunition waggon were struck, or one of the horses killed.