Page:15 decisive battles of the world Vol 2 (London).djvu/299

Rh there was an individual present at the battle of Valmy, of little political note, but who has exercised, and exercises, a greater influence over the human mind, and whose fame is more widely spread than that of either duke, or general, or king. This was the German poet Göthe, then in early youth, and who had, out of curiosity, accompanied the allied army on its march into France as a mere spectator. He has given us a curious record of the sensations which he experienced during the cannonade. It must be remembered, that many thousands in the French ranks then, like Gothe, felt the "cannon-fever" for the first time. The German poet says,—

"I had heard so much of the cannon-fever, and I wanted to know what kind of thing it was. Ennui, and a spirit which every kind of danger excites to daring, nay even to rashness, induced me to ride up quite coolly to the outwork of La Lune. This was again occupied by our people; but it presented the wildest aspect. The roofs were shot to pieces, the cornshocks scattered about, the bodies of men mortally wounded stretched upon them here and there, and, occasionally, a spent cannon-ball fell and rattled among the ruins of the tile roofs.