Gallieni fought at Sedan and was taken prisoner at Bazeilles, scene of the stand of the colonial marines. He learned German whilst a prisoner there, and later kept a notebook in German, English and Italian called “Erinnerungen of my life di ragazzo” ("Memories of my life from boyhood [onwards]") - "("ragazzo" translates better as"urchin" or "vagabond" so Gallieni was not without humor,)."