about seven o'clock
let go , or I 'll pour it all out ! '' They were compelled to wait till I had drank , then they took their turn , and afterward the others who were upstairs drained the rest . We all went up together greatly refreshed . It was about seven o'clock and near sunset , the shadows of the houses on our side reached quite to the brook -- while those occupied by the Prussians were still in the sunlight , as well as the hill-side of Bry , down which we could see the fresh troops coming on the run . The cannonade had never been so fierce as at this moment from our side . Every one now knows , that at nightfall between seven and eight o'clock the Emperor , having discovered that the column which had been signalled in our rear was the corps of General d'Erlon , which had missed its route between the battle of Ney with the English at Quatre-Bras and ours here at Ligny , had ordered the Old Guard to support us at once . The lieutenant who was with us said , `` This is the grand attack .