Skirmishing had been going on along the frontier between the French and German outposts since July 21. On August 2 the campaign began in earnest. After luncheon on that day, the emperor and the Prince Imperial set out by rail from Metz, and returned to Metz to dinner, having invaded German territory and opened the war. They had alighted at Forbach, and proceeded thence to make a reconnaissance into the enemy's territory near Saarbrück,--a small town of two thousand inhabitants, where, strange to say, an International Peace Congress had held its session not many months before. This place had an ordinary frontier garrison, and lay two and a half miles beyond the boundary of France. General Frossard, under the emperor's direction and supervision, led on his men to attack the place. The first gun was fired by the Prince Imperial, who here, as his father's telegram that night reported to the empress, received his "baptism of fire." The garrison returned the fire, and then, having lost two officers and seventy-two men, it retired, leaving the French in possession of the heights above the town. Poor Prince Imperial! Some harsh lines concerning his first exploit were published in the London "Spectator:"-- "'How jolly, papa! how funny! How the blue men tumble about! Huzza! there's a fellow's head off,-- How the dark red blood spouts out! And look, what a jolly bonfire!-- Wants nothing but colored light! Oh, papa, burn a lot of cities, And burn the next one at night!' "'Yes, child, it _is_ operatic; But don't forget, in your glee, That for your sake this play is playing, That you may be worthy of me. They baptized you in Jordan water,-- Baptized as a Christian, I mean,-- But you come of the race of Cæsar, And thus have their baptisms been. Baptized in true Cæsar fashion, Remember, through all your years, That the font was a burning city, And the water was widows' tears,'" When these lines were written, how little could any man have foreseen the fate of the poor lad, lying bloody and stark on a hillside of South Africa, deserted by his comrades, and above all by a degenerate descendant of Sir Walter Raleigh, who should have risked his life to defend his charge!