He witnessed the battle.

他亲眼目睹了那场战斗。

《新英汉大辞典》

He had witnessed the heavy casualties at the Battle of Solferino in Italy four years earlier, in which 40,000 people were killed, wounded or missing.

他亲眼目睹了四年前意大利的索法里诺战役的重大伤亡，有4万人被杀、受伤或失踪。

youdao

The Cold War world witnessed a battle between positive and negative reporting that did not do much good to journalism.

CNN: Opinion: China's positive spin on Africa

The room had the air of a place that had witnessed a terrible confrontation, a battle lost.

NEWYORKER: Naima