On mid morning on August 2, 1914, a German cavalry patrol led by Leutnant Albert Mayer patrolled into France before war had been officially declared. Upon crossing into French territory, Mayer slashed a French sentry with his saber before going deeper into France.[1]
Around 9:30, Peugeot and his fellow soldiers were eating breakfast in a billet house owned by a certain Louis Doucourt. Doucourt's daughter, Adrienne, came in and told the soldiers that a German patrol had entered the town, at which Peugeot and his comrades arose from breakfast to meet them. At 9:59, Peugeot yelled at Mayer and his patrol to stop, as they were under arrest, but Mayer pulled out a pistol and shot Peugeot in the shoulder. Peugeot stumbled and shot his pistol, missing Mayer, but Peugeot's comrades returned fire, hitting Mayer in the stomach and head, killing him. Peugeot went back to the billet house where, at 10:37 am, he died on the steps of the house.[1]
Legacy
On the seventh anniversary of Peugeot's death, the French government erected a monument on the Alsatian border to commemorate the place where he died.[2]