It was General Grant's "food
for powder" plan of attack repeated.
Thus the battle raged upon the entire length of the British line,
with repeated advances and retreats on the part of the Germans.
Now and then the bodies almost reached the British trenches, and
a breach seemed in certain prospect. But the British sprang upon
the invaders, bayonet in hand, and drove them back to the shelter
of the woods. The Irish regiments, especially, were considered
invincible in this "cold steel" method of attack, their national
impulsive ardor carrying them in a fury through the ranks of an
enemy. But at Mons always the Germans returned in ever greater
numbers. The artillery increased the terrible rain of shells. Pen
pictures by British soldiers vividly describe the battle somewhat
conflictingly.
"They were in solid square blocks, standing out sharply against the
skyline, and you couldn't help hitting them. It was like butting
your head against a stone wall.... They crept nearer and nearer,
and then our officers gave the word. A sheet of flame flickered
along the line of trenches and a stream of bullets tore through the
advancing mass of Germans. They seemed to stagger like a drunken
man hit between the eyes, after which they made a run for us....
Halfway across the open another volley tore through their ranks,
and by this time our artillery began dropping shells around them.
Then an officer gave an order and they broke into open formation,
rushing like mad toward the trenches on our left.
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