From eight in the morning until three in the afternoon (3d October, 1569), the two armies kept up a fierce cannonade upon each other, two of Anjou’s batteries on a hill causing great damage, and finally compelling some Huguenot regiments to shift their ground. Anjou observing this, ordered a forward movement, with the right wing strengthened so as to turn the enemy’s left. At the first shock both wings gave way. Coligny rallied them, and by a vigorous onset beat back Anjou’s first line. The duke immediately brought up his second line, and the Huguenot centre began to waver, when Anjou’s German cavalry rode down upon them like a hurricane, and in half an hour all was over. The Huguenots went into battle 18,000 strong, and before night it was a difficult matter to collect 1000 men to cover the retreat of the two princes to Parthenay. There was little mercy shown by the conquerors.[436] A brigade of German lansquenets laid down their arms and begged for quarter, which was refused, with shouts of “Remember Roche-Abeille.” A body of French infantry met with a similar fate. One incident of the battle deserves to be rescued from the dusty oblivion of the old histories. When all was in confusion, the Count of St. Cyr, a veteran soldier of eighty-five, whose snow-white beard flowed down to his waist, contrived to rally three companies of cavalry with which he attempted to cover the retreat. His chaplain, who rode by his side, suggested that he should say a few words to encourage his little troop. “Brave men need few words,” he cried; “do as you see me do.” Then setting spurs to his horse, he rode a score or so of yards in front of his men, and fell, struggling to the last against the advancing enemy. Two hundred colors were taken, and “the slaughter was greater than any for these hundred years past.”[437] The number of Huguenots alone who were left upon the field has been estimated at little less than 6000. The retreat was covered by Count Louis of Nassau,[438] who by his ability saved the relics of the broken and fugitive army. “I was an eye-witness of it,” says Raleigh, who had good reason to thank him for it.[439]