I had hardly arrived there when I heard a clock strike. I did not count the strokes, there may have been eight or nine. It was already perfectly dark. At the same moment I saw a green rocket go up above the houses south-west of the place. Shortly afterwards the sound of gun-fire came from the direction south-west of the place. This first gun-fire was followed by general firing from all the houses round the square itself; the firing was directed upon the German troops in the square. The shots came from the closed shutters; one could clearly see their flashes; holes must therefore have been bored previously in the shutters. I now wanted to gallop to the company to make arrangements, and as I could not ride through the whole park of vehicles I had to ride round them, _i.e._ round the north-eastern part of the square. In doing so I was shot from my horse on the north-eastern side of the square. I heard distinctly the rattling of machine-guns, and the bullets flew in great quantities all round me. I was severely hit by five bullets; I also received a large number of grazing shots; my whole coat was in rags. When I had fallen from the horse I was run over by a baggage-cart, the horses of which bolted on account of the firing; I was dragged to the corner of the square which separates the north-east side from the north-west side. Here I remained lying under the cart for about half an hour. During this time I never lost consciousness and I accurately observed my surroundings. The bullets continually rebounded on the pavement all round me; I noticed clearly the cracking off of numerous splinters. I also heard repeatedly the explosion of apparently heavy projectiles all round me; I thought artillery was firing; but as there was none present there is only one explanation, that the inhabitants were throwing hand-grenades on us from the houses in the square. The firing was not answered to by our troops until some time had elapsed. The firing on both sides continued for about half an hour, during which time I lay under the cart; the chain of the brake-shoe had caught my belt so that I could not get free by myself. When the shooting ceased somewhat, my servant came and released me from my position. He brought me to the place where my company was drawn up on the north-west side of the square and laid me on the edge of the square, leaning my back against the wheel of a cart. From this position I could observe all the houses on the north-west side of the square and also the first houses on both sides contiguous to the square. I noticed the following: