The village of Ornes, itself, was relatively calm that night, the infantry attacks not having begun up to the present, only between the Meuse and Herbebois Wood. The _poilus_ waited calmly all events that might be forthcoming, always ready to do their duty stoically and simply---- I had promised General B---- to give him news of our sector during the night, all the telephonic means of communication having been destroyed. Again I traversed the entire road from Ornes to Bras; at Chambrettes the spectacle was fairy-like--our batteries on the one side fired in unison and their flashes illumined the heavens. In front of us the soaring shells came thick and fast from the forest of Spincourt and Forges Wood, intermittently brightening the darkness like a luminous _pianotage_, giving one the impression that every ten square yards there was an enemy battery. The sky was ablaze on the horizon--it was the burning villages---- Yes, they began well the great battle, the greatest battle in the history of the world---- THE DAY OF _February_ 22, 1916. Our impressions were precise, the battle was going to be rude. The enemy had accumulated a formidable heavy artillery, to which it seemed impossible to respond for the moment. They sent over as many 210's as they formerly had 77's and as many 280's, 305's, 380's, and 420's as they had 105's and 150's. The men all felt immediately at the beginning of the battle that the enemy would be stopped only by mere brute strength---- AT NOON IN A CELLAR IN THE VILLAGE OF CUMIÈRES. During a very heavy bombardment we were lunching. We had a basket of oysters that came from Verdun. The merchant sold out his wares so that he could flee with the townspeople--The city is empty. "_Allons_, if the oysters last, it will be possible to withstand the blow!----" ROAD TO ORNES--NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT The number of dead men and horses along the road to Ornes has increased---- The intensity of enemy artillery fire has not diminished, and the sound of the battle reaches farther to the right---- We pass wounded, alone or in little groups, dragging themselves to the rear---- CHAUME WOOD--TEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT A cry! "Here--help!" We stopped---- This cry is repeated several times. I enter the Wood. Guided by the sound of the voice and climbing over shattered and twisted trees, I end by discovering a human form cowering in a shell-hole---- "You're wounded?" "Yes, in the head, the arms, in the legs and the heart----" "_Mon vieux_, you bawl too much to be really wounded. Get up!" The unfortunate arose and I read fear in his eyes. "Where do you come from?" "From Herbebois--they attacked with their flame-throwers--I saw my brother lieutenant, burning like a torch. My comrades stayed, but I know nothing more----" THE MAGNIFICENT POILU, CHAMBRETTES. _February_ 22, 1916.