There was a brilliant assembly upon the hill. The King, Bismarck, Moltke, Roon, a number of Princes, Prince Charles, their Highnesses of Weimar and Coburg, the Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg, generals, aides-de-camp, Court officials, Count Hatzfeldt, who disappeared after a while, Kutusow, the Russian, and Colonel Walker, the English Military Plenipotentiary, together with General Sheridan and his aide-de-camp, all in uniform, and all looking through field-glasses. The King stood, while others sat on a ridge at the edge of the field, as did the Chancellor also at times. I hear that the King sent word round that it was better not to gather into large groups, as the French in the fortress might in that case fire at us. After 11 o’clock our line of attack advanced further on the right bank of the Meuse towards the main position of the French, who were thus more closely invested. In my eagerness I began to express my views to Count Puckler, probably somewhat louder than was necessary or quite fitting in the circumstances, and so attracted the attention of the Chief, who has sharp ears. He turned round and beckoned to me to come to him. “If you have strategic ideas to communicate to the Count it would be well if you managed to do so somewhat more quietly, doctor, as otherwise the King might ask who is speaking, and I should be obliged to present you to him.” Shortly afterwards he received telegrams, six of which he gave me to decipher, so that for the time I had to resign my part as a spectator. On returning to the carriage I found in Count Hatzfeldt a companion who had also been obliged to combine business with pleasure. The Chief had instructed him to copy out a French letter of four pages which had been intercepted by our troops. I mounted the box and set to work deciphering, while the battle roared like half-a-dozen thunderstorms on the other side of the height. In my eagerness to get done I did not feel the scorching midday sun, which raised blisters on one of my ears. It was now 1 o’clock. By this time our line of fire encircled the greater part of the enemy’s position on the heights beyond the town. Clouds of smoke rose in a wide arch, while the well-known small puff-balls of the shrapnels appeared for an instant and burst in the air. Only to the left there yet remained a space where all was still. The Chancellor now sat on a chair, studying a document of several pages. I asked if he would like to have something to eat or drink, as we had come provided. He declined, however, saying, “I should be very glad, but the King has also had nothing.”