Thebrigadewashaltedinthefringeofagrove.Themencrouchedamongthetreesandpointedtheirrestlessgunsoutatthefields.Theytriedtolookbeyondthesmoke. Outofthishazetheycouldseerunningmen.Someshoutedinformationandgesturedasthehurried. Themenofthenewregimentwatchedandlistenedeagerly,whiletheirtonguesranoningossipofthebattle.Theymouthedrumorsthathadflownlikebirdsoutoftheunknown. “TheysayPerryhasbeendriveninwithbigloss.” “Yes,Carrottwentt’th’hospital.Hesaidhewassick. Thatsmartlieutenantiscommanding‘G’Company. Th’boyssaytheywon’tbeunderCarrottnomoreiftheyallhavet’desert.Theyallusknewhewasa—” “Hannises’batt’ryistook.” “Itain’teither.IsawHannises’batt’ryoffonth’leftnotmore’nfifteenminutesago.” “Th’general,hesesheisgoin’t’taketh’hullcommandofth’304thwhenwegointehaction,an’thenheseswe’lldosechfightin’asneveranotheronereg’mentdone.” “Theysaywe’recatchin’itoveronth’left.Theysayth’enemydriv’ourlineintehadevilofaswampan’tookHannises’batt’ry.” “Nosechthing.Hannises’batt’rywas‘longhere‘boutaminuteago.” “ThatyoungHasbrouck,hemakesagoodoff’cer.Heain’tafraid‘anothin’.” “Imetoneofth’148thMaineboysan’heseshisbrigadefitth’hullrebelarmyferfourhoursoveronth’turnpikeroadan’killedaboutfivethousandof‘em. Hesesonemoresechfightasthatan’th’war‘llbeover.” “Billwasn’tscaredeither.No,sir!Itwasn’tthat.Billain’ta-gittin’scaredeasy.Hewasjestmad,that’swhathewas. Whenthatfellertrodonhishand,heupan’sedthathewaswillin’t’givehishandt’hiscountry,buthebedumbedifhewasgoin’t’haveeverydumbbushwhackerinth’kentrywalkin’‘roundonit. Sohewentt’th’hospitaldisregardlessofth’fight.Threefingerswascrunched. Th’derndoctorwantedt’amputate‘m,an’Bill,heraisedaheluvarow,Ihear.He’safunnyfeller.” Thedininfrontswelledtoatremendouschorus. Theyouthandhisfellowswerefrozentosilence. Theycouldseeaflagthattossedinthesmokeangrily. Nearitweretheblurredandagitatedformsoftroops. Therecameaturbulentstreamofmenacrossthefields. Abatterychangingpositionatafranticgallopscatteredthestragglersrightandleft. Ashellscreaminglikeastormbansheewentoverthehuddledheadsofthereserves.Itlandedinthegrove,andexplodingredlyflungthebrownearth.Therewasalittleshowerofpineneedles. Bulletsbegantowhistleamongthebranchesandnipatthetrees.Twigsandleavescamesailingdown. Itwasasifathousandaxes,weeandinvisible,werebeingwielded. Manyofthemenwereconstantlydodgingandduckingtheirheads. Thelieutenantoftheyouth’scompanywasshotinthehand. Hebegantoswearsowondrouslythatanervouslaughwentalongtheregimentalline. Theofficer’sprofanitysoundedconventional. Itrelievedthetightenedsensesofthenewmen. Itwasasifhehadhithisfingerswithatackhammerathome. Heheldthewoundedmembercarefullyawayfromhissidesothatthebloodwouldnotdripuponhistrousers. Thecaptainofthecompany,tuckinghisswordunderhisarm,producedahandkerchiefandbegantobindwithitthelieutenant’swound.Andtheydisputedastohowthebindingshouldbedone. Thebattleflaginthedistancejerkedaboutmadly.Itseemedtobestrugglingtofreeitselffromanagony.Thebillowingsmokewasfilledwithhorizontalflashes. Menrushingswiftlyemergedfromit.Theygrewinnumbersuntilitwasseenthatthewholecommandwasfleeing.Theflagsuddenlysankdownasifdying.Itsmotionasitfellwasagestureofdespair. Wildyellscamefrombehindthewallsofsmoke. Asketchingrayandreddissolvedintoamoblikebodyofmenwhogallopedlikewildhorses. Theveteranregimentsontherightandleftofthe304thimmediatelybegantojeer. Withthepassionatesongofthebulletsandthebansheeshrieksofshellsweremingledloudcatcallsandbitsoffacetiousadviceconcerningplacesofsafety. Butthenewregimentwasbreathlesswithhorror.“Gawd!Saunders’sgotcrushed!”whisperedthemanattheyouth’selbow.Theyshrankbackandcrouchedasifcompelledtoawaitaflood. Theyouthshotaswiftglancealongtheblueranksoftheregiment. Theprofilesweremotionless,carven;andafterwardherememberedthatthecolorsergeantwasstandingwithhislegsapart,asifheexpectedtobepushedtotheground. Thefollowingthrongwentwhirlingaroundtheflank. Hereandtherewereofficerscarriedalongonthestreamlikeexasperatedchips. Theywerestrikingaboutthemwiththeirswordsandwiththeirleftfists,punchingeveryheadtheycouldreach.Theycursedlikehighwaymen. Amountedofficerdisplayedthefuriousangerofaspoiledchild.Heragedwithhishead,hisarms,andhislegs. Another,thecommanderofthebrigade,wasgallopingaboutbawling. Hishatwasgoneandhisclotheswereawry. Heresembledamanwhohascomefrombedtogotoafire. Thehoofsofhishorseoftenthreatenedtheheadsoftherunningmen,buttheyscamperedwithsingularfortune. Inthisrushtheywereapparentlyalldeafandblind. Theyheedednotthelargestandlongestoftheoathsthatwerethrownatthemfromalldirections. Frequentlyoverthistumultcouldbeheardthegrimjokesofthecriticalveterans;buttheretreatingmenapparentlywerenotevenconsciousofthepresenceofanaudience. Thebattlereflectionthatshoneforaninstantinthefacesonthemadcurrentmadetheyouthfeelthatforcefulhandsfromheavenwouldnothavebeenabletohaveheldhiminplaceifhecouldhavegotintelligentcontrolofhislegs. Therewasanappallingimprintuponthesefaces.Thestruggleinthesmokehadpicturedanexaggerationofitselfonthebleachedcheeksandintheeyeswildwithonedesire. Thesightofthisstampedeexertedafloodlikeforcethatseemedabletodragsticksandstonesandmenfromtheground.Theyofthereserveshadtoholdon. Theygrewpaleandfirm,andredandquaking. Theyouthachievedonelittlethoughtinthemidstofthischaos. Thecompositemonsterwhichhadcausedtheothertroopstofleehadnotthenappeared. Heresolvedtogetaviewofit,andthen,hethoughthemightverylikelyrunbetterthanthebestofthem. 
