I left Eparges at six o'clock in the morning. As before the day dawned magnificently. In a happy mood, I start out with Dr. Nicolas to find some of my _poilus_ on the menaced front. An automobile was waiting on the Mesnil-sur-les-Côtes to take us to the north of Verdun. On leaving at seven o'clock in the morning, the rumbling of cannon, heavy and uninterrupted, was heard: the battle of Verdun had commenced.... I did not intend to stop at Verdun, but on approaching the city, I saw the civil population fleeing _en masse_ toward the country, after 380's fell at regular intervals on the martyred city for about an hour. After a short stop, I left again for Cumières and Côte-de-l'Oie, where I also had a squad of workers. Leaving Bras, it was easy to determine that the enemy had launched his offensive on the right bank of the Meuse. As far as the eye could reach the bursting of large projectiles was seen: they fell particularly on the forts, on the roads, on the cantonments, on the trenches. The crushing noise produced by these large _Marmites_[21] became accentuated hour by hour; a curtain of smoke collected against the blue sky, and, with the brightness of the day, this spectacle certainly did not lack grandeur. I still command a view of the battlefield seen from the Côte-de-l'Oie; columns of smoke go rolling on the banks of the Meuse. I had never seen such parallel artillery preparation up to that day. Our _poilus_ cried: "The 77's and 105's no longer exist!" It could easily be seen that "something" was taking place on the right bank where the intensity of the artillery became greater hour by hour. They fought stubbornly before Samonieux and we heard the noise of the machine-guns. I made the resolution to go and rejoin the men I had at Ornes, on the right bank, since it was they above all that were in the greatest danger. * * * * * The memory of the afternoon of this day will forever remain sad; I ask myself often how my comrade LeBlond and I had been able to reach Ornes. We succeeded in reaching Bras toward two o'clock: the village was violently bombarded--human bodies and horses blocked the streets. I went to pay my respects to General B---- whom I found in his fighting post, surrounded by his officers. He wished us good luck in affectionate terms. We climbed Côte du Poivre and arrived at Louvemont toward three o'clock in the afternoon. In going through the village, our eyes commenced to be irritated by tear gas: the bombardment was infernal. It was apparent that the enemy was undertaking a decisive action. The road which we traversed was hammered by numerous projectiles and there was nothing for us to do but forge ahead like automatons---- LeBlond had taken my arm, and, together, it was decided not to stop before any obstacle---- The nearer we approached Chambrettes the more dense became the fire.