text: " The sight of the column seemed to have given renewed vigour to both sides; for while the French guns rapidly increased their fire aided by the musketry of the newly arrived troops the Prussian artillerists then the first in Europe threw in their balls in such showers that the forest which hitherto had largely screened the enemy began to fall in masses; branch and trunk were swept away and the ground became as naked of cover as if it had been stripped by the axe