engines of death hurled destruction among the contending armies.  The fire of jaegers and sharp-shooters rattled on all sides, and we soon discovered whole ranges of battalions and regiments.  It was a general engagement;—­that was evident enough to every one, even though he had never before heard a cannon fired in all his life.  On the side of the Halle and Ranstaedt gates all was yet quiet, and I began to imagine that my rockets had deceived me.  For six hours the guns had roared, and all the lines were enveloped in clouds of smoke, through which the flashes incessantly darted like lightning.  As yet neither party seemed to have receded an inch.  The thunders of the artillery still continued to proceed from the same spot.  No longer could the firing of single guns be distinguished; hundreds were every moment discharged, and united in one single protracted roar.  How many victims must already have strewed the field!—­At length, about eleven o’clock, a considerable change seemed to have taken place.  The firing did not appear more distant, but became less general; single shots were heard, and the combatants seemed disposed to make a pause in the work of death.  All on a sudden a new and tremendous cannonade commenced beyond Lindenau, towards Luetzen, not much more than half a league from the city.  The batteries of the allies seemed to fire from Kleinschocher:  those of the French were posted on the heights of Lindenau.  The corps of count Giulay had arrived there, and now it appeared that my interpretation of the rockets was correct.  I then turned my eyes quickly towards the north, in the direction of Halle, where before there was little or nothing to be seen.  How was I astonished when I now beheld lines of soldiers stretching farther than the eye could reach, and fresh columns advancing behind them.  It appeared as if the troops which had been so furiously engaged the whole morning were but the advanced guards of the immense armies that now extended themselves more and more before me.  Whence the French lines which were so rapidly ranged opposite to them could have sprung, I am yet at a loss to conceive:  an hour before, I should have estimated them at scarcely 10,000 men; and, what I now saw, my inexperienced eye computed at more than 200,000 on both sides.  This prodigious army seemed about to form in order of battle.  A few cannon-shot which it fired were probably designed only to announce its arrival to the other chiefs.  Immediately afterwards, the cannonade beyond Lindenau, which had lasted about two hours, entirely ceased.  On the left wing of the French the action was still very vigorously continued.  It was about twelve o’clock when we descended, to learn what accounts had meanwhile been received in the city, that our relations with the lower world might not be totally suspended.  Before the residence of our sovereign there was a crowd of officers of all ranks.  The city-guard was drawn out on parade as well as the grenadier-guard.  A full band was playing, by French