In the meanwhile the troops of the bridge-head were living the most thrilling moments of the battle. Nevertheless though much unnerved, they were maintained at their post, thanks to the marvelous calm and heroical energy of the officers who examined and rectified the occupation of the trenches. And then, what an unutterable relief to the troops and their chiefs when they heard the guns firing on the bridge road proclaiming loudly that the line of the Yser still held good and that it had not been taken unawares! Till dawn, the front of the bridge-head had to face at the same time, the positions of the enemy, and the town. It was not necessary. The Germans who had crossed the bridge, marched on at random. At a little distance at the East of the halt at Caeskerke, they soon ran up against a company of the 12^{th} of the line in reserve. (The C. P. of the admiral was composed of a group of cyclist carabiniers re-enforced by their runners). Without fighting the enemy detachment turned South across the fields, and fell, without knowing, on our batteries and would have surprised them without help when fortunately the detachment was taken between the fires of several groups of French and Belgian soldiers and was encircled without difficulty. Not quick enough though, to prevent the said detachment of committing the most abominable crime: the massacre without mercy and without distinction of their prisoners. Taken prisoners in their turn, the Germans could have been judged according to the regulations and an avalanche of shot would have sufficed to have stretched them out. But we were struggling for the Right; brought before Admiral Ronarch, he decided to have executed militarily the Germans who had shown themselves the most cruel in the massacre; three amongst these, recognized by the Belgian doctor Van der Ghinst, who had been taken prisoner during the night, and had escaped by miracle, were shot on the spot, the others were sent to the back. As for the part of the German column which had not been able to cross the bridge, this was taken under the fires of the guns, and was, as we have already said, dispersed in all directions, endeavouring to seek refuge in the houses at Dixmude. The reserve garrisoned in the flour mill, awaken by the noise of the fighting and being at once acquainted with the situation, remained in place, ready to intervene. The Germans, who tempted to take refuge in the corn-mill were shot down without ceremony, and at daylight patrols were sent in the town to search the houses, and arrest all those who were hidden there. The nightmare was ended, and confidence revived more than ever.