Thereweremomentsofwaiting.Theyouththoughtofthevillagestreetathomebeforethearrivalofthecircusparadeonadayinthespring. Herememberedhowhehadstood,asmall,thrillfulboy,preparedtofollowthedingyladyuponthewhitehorse,orthebandinitsfadedchariot. Hesawtheyellowroad,thelinesofexpectantpeople,andthesoberhouses. Heparticularlyrememberedanoldfellowwhousedtosituponacrackerboxinfrontofthestoreandfeigntodespisesuchexhibitions. Athousanddetailsofcolorandformsurgedinhismind. Theoldfellowuponthecrackerboxappearedinmiddleprominence. Someonecried,“Heretheycome!” Therewasrustlingandmutteringamongthemen. Theydisplayedafeverishdesiretohaveeverypossiblecartridgereadytotheirhands. Theboxeswerepulledaroundintovariouspositions,andadjustedwithgreatcare. Itwasasifsevenhundrednewbonnetswerebeingtriedon. Thetallsoldier,havingpreparedhisrifle,producedaredhandkerchiefofsomekind. Hewasengagedinknottingitabouthisthroatwithexquisiteattentiontoitsposition,whenthecrywasrepeatedupanddownthelineinamuffledroarofsound. “Heretheycome!Heretheycome!”Gunlocksclicked. Acrossthesmoke-infestedfieldscameabrownswarmofrunningmenwhoweregivingshrillyells. Theycameon,stoopingandswingingtheirriflesatallangles. Aflag,tiltedforward,spednearthefront. Ashecaughtsightofthemtheyouthwasmomentarilystartledbyathoughtthatperhapshisgunwasnotloaded. Hestoodtryingtorallyhisfalteringintellectsothathemightrecollectthemomentwhenhehadloaded,buthecouldnot. Ahatlessgeneralpulledhisdrippinghorsetoastandnearthecolonelofthe304th.Heshookhisfistintheother’sface.“You’vegottohold‘emback!” heshouted,savagely;“you’vegottohold‘emback!” Inhisagitationthecolonelbegantostammer. “A-allr-right,General,allright,byGawd! We-we‘lldoour—we-we‘lld-d-do-doourbest,General.” Thegeneralmadeapassionategestureandgallopedaway. Thecolonel,perchancetorelievehisfeelings,begantoscoldlikeawetparrot. Theyouth,turningswiftlytomakesurethattherearwasunmolested,sawthecommanderregardinghismeninahighlyresentfulmanner,asifheregrettedaboveeverythinghisassociationwiththem. Themanattheyouth’selbowwasmumbling,asiftohimself:“Oh,we‘reinforitnow!oh,we‘reinforitnow!” Thecaptainofthecompanyhadbeenpacingexcitedlytoandfrointherear. Hecoaxedinschoolmistressfashion,astoacongregationofboyswithprimers.Histalkwasanendlessrepetition. “Reserveyourfire,boys—don’tshoottillItellyou—saveyourfire—waittilltheygetcloseup—don’tbedamnedfools—” Perspirationstreameddowntheyouth’sface,whichwassoiledlikethatofaweepingurchin. Hefrequently,withanervousmovement,wipedhiseyeswithhiscoatsleeve.Hismouthwasstillalittlewaysope. Hegottheoneglanceatthefoe-swarmingfieldinfrontofhim,andinstantlyceasedtodebatethequestionofhispiecebeingloaded. Beforehewasreadytobegin—beforehehadannouncedtohimselfthathewasabouttofight—hethrewtheobedientwell-balancedrifleintopositionandfiredafirstwildshot. Directlyhewasworkingathisweaponlikeanautomaticaffair. Hesuddenlylostconcernforhimself,andforgottolookatamenacingfate.Hebecamenotamanbutamember. Hefeltthatsomethingofwhichhewasapart—aregiment,anarmy,acause,oracountry—wasincrisis. Hewasweldedintoacommonpersonalitywhichwasdominatedbyasingledesire. Forsomemomentshecouldnotfleenomorethanalittlefingercancommitarevolutionfromahand. Ifhehadthoughttheregimentwasabouttobeannihilatedperhapshecouldhaveamputatedhimselffromit.Butitsnoisegavehimassurance. Theregimentwaslikeafireworkthat,onceignited,proceedssuperiortocircumstancesuntilitsblazingvitalityfades. Itwheezedandbangedwithamightypower. Hepicturedthegroundbeforeitasstrewnwiththediscomfited. Therewasaconsciousnessalwaysofthepresenceofhiscomradesabouthim. Hefeltthesubtlebattlebrotherhoodmorepotenteventhanthecauseforwhichtheywerefighting. Itwasamysteriousfraternitybornofthesmokeanddangerofdeath. Hewasatatask.Hewaslikeacarpenterwhohasmademanyboxes,makingstillanotherbox,onlytherewasfurioushasteinhismovements. He,inhisthoughts,wascareeringoffinotherplaces,evenasthecarpenterwhoasheworkswhistlesandthinksofhisfriendorhisenemy,hishomeorasaloon. Andthesejolteddreamswereneverperfecttohimafterward,butremainedamassofblurredshapes. Presentlyhebegantofeeltheeffectsofthewaratmosphere—ablisteringsweat,asensationthathiseyeballswereabouttocracklikehotstones.Aburningroarfilledhisears. Followingthiscamearedrage.Hedevelopedtheacuteexasperationofapesteredanimal,awell-meaningcowworriedbydogs. Hehadamadfeelingagainsthisrifle,whichcouldonlybeusedagainstonelifeatatime. Hewishedtorushforwardandstranglewithhisfingers. Hecravedapowerthatwouldenablehimtomakeaworld-sweepinggestureandbrushallback. Hisimpotencyappearedtohim,andmadehisrageintothatofadrivenbeast. Buriedinthesmokeofmanyrifleshisangerwasdirectednotsomuchagainstthemenwhomheknewwererushingtowardhimasagainsttheswirlingbattlephantomswhichwerechokinghim,stuffingtheirsmokerobesdownhisparchedthroat. Hefoughtfranticallyforrespiteforhissenses,forair,asababebeingsmotheredattacksthedeadlyblankets. Therewasablareofheatedragemingledwithacertainexpressionofintentnessonallfaces. Manyofthemenweremakinglow-tonednoiseswiththeirmouths,andthesesubduedcheers,snarls,imprecations,prayers,madeawild,barbaricthesesubduedcheers,snarls,imprecations,prayers,madeawild,barbaricthesesubduedcheers,snarls,imprecations,prayers,madeawild,barbaricthesesubduedcheers,snarls,imprecations,prayers,madeawild,barbaricsongthatwentasanundercurrentofsound,strangeandchantlikewiththeresoundingchordsofthewarmarch. Themanattheyouth’selbowwasbabbling. Inittherewassomethingsoftandtenderlikethemonologueofababe. Thetallsoldierwasswearinginaloudvoice. Fromhislipscameablackprocessionofcuriousoaths. Ofasuddenanotherbrokeoutinaquerulouswaylikeamanwhohasmislaidhishat.“Well,whydon’ttheysupportus?Whydon’ttheysendsupports?Dotheythink—” Theyouthinhisbattlesleepheardthisasonewhodozeshears. Therewasasingularabsenceofheroicposes. Themenbendingandsurgingintheirhasteandragewereineveryimpossibleattitude. Thesteelramrodsclankedandclangedwithincessantdinasthemenpoundedthemfuriouslyintothehotriflebarrels. Theflapsofthecartridgeboxeswereallunfastened,andbobbedidioticallywitheachmovement. Therifles,onceloaded,werejerkedtotheshoulderandfiredwithoutapparentaimintothesmokeoratoneoftheblurredandshiftingformswhichuponthefieldbeforetheregimenthadbeengrowinglargerandlargerlikepuppetsunderamagician’shand. Theofficers,attheirintervals,rearward,neglectedtostandinpicturesqueattitudes. Theywerebobbingtoandfroroaringdirectionsandencouragements. Thedimensionsoftheirhowlswereextraordinary. Theyexpendedtheirlungswithprodigalwills. Andoftentheynearlystoodupontheirheadsintheiranxietytoobservetheenemyontheothersideofthetumblingsmoke. Thelieutenantoftheyouth’scompanyhadencounteredasoldierwhohadfledscreamingatthefirstvolleyofhiscomrades. Behindthelinesthesetwowereactingalittleisolatedscene. Themanwasblubberingandstaringwithsheeplikeeyesatthelieutenant,whohadseizedhimbythecollarandwaspommelinghim. Hedrovehimbackintotherankswithmanyblows. Thesoldierwentmechanically,dully,withhisanimal-likeeyesupontheofficer. Perhapstherewastohimadivinityexpressedinthevoiceoftheother—stern,hard,withnoreflectionoffearinit. Hetriedtoreloadhisgun,buthisshakinghandsprevented. Thelieutenantwasobligedtoassisthim. Themendroppedhereandtherelikebundles. Thecaptainoftheyouth’scompanyhadbeenkilledinanearlypartoftheaction. Hisbodylaystretchedoutinthepositionofatiredmanresting,butuponhisfacetherewasanastonishedandsorrowfullook,asifhethoughtsomefriendhaddonehimanillturn. Thebabblingmanwasgrazedbyashotthatmadethebloodstreamwidelydownhisface.Heclappedbothhandtohishead.“Oh!”hesaid,andran. Anothergruntedsuddenlyasifhehadbeenstruckbyaclubinthestomach.Hesatdownandgazedruefully. Inhiseyestherewasmute,indefinitereproach. Fartherupthelineaman,standingbehindatree,hadhadhiskneejointsplinteredbyaball. Immediatelyhehaddroppedhisrifleandgrippedthetreewithbotharms. Andthereheremained,clingingdesperatelyandcryingforassistancethathemightwithdrawhisholduponthetree. Atlastanexultantyellwentalongthequiveringline. Thefiringdwindledfromanuproartoalastvindictivepopping. Asthesmokeslowlyeddiedaway,theyouthsawthatthechargehadbeenrepulsed. Theenemywerescatteredintoreluctantgroups. Hesawamanclimbtothetopofthefence,straddletherail,andfireapartingshot. Thewaveshadreceded,leavingbitsofdark“debris”upontheground. Someintheregimentbegantowhoopfrenziedly.Manyweresilent.Apparentlytheyweretryingtocontemplatethemselves. Afterthefeverhadlefthisveins,theyouththoughtthatatlasthewasgoingtosuffocate. Hebecameawareofthefoulatmosphereinwhichhehadbeenstruggling. Hewasgrimyanddrippinglikealaborerinafoundry. Hegraspedhiscanteenandtookalongswallowofthewarmedwater. Asentencewithvariationswentupanddowntheline.“Well,we‘vehelt‘emback.We‘vehelt‘emback;dernedifwehaven’t.”Themensaiditblissfully,leeringateachotherwithdirtysmiles. Theyouthturnedtolookbehindhimandofftotherightandofftotheleft.Heexperiencedthejoyofamanwhoatlastfindsleisureinwhichtolookabouthim. Underfoottherewereafewghastlyformsmotionless. Theylaytwistedinfantasticcontortions. Armswerebentandheadswereturnedinincredibleways. Itseemedthatthedeadmenmusthavefallenfromsomegreatheighttogetintosuchpositions. Theylookedtobedumpedoutuponthegroundfromthesky. Fromapositionintherearofthegroveabatterywasthrowingshellsoverit. Theflashofthegunsstartledtheyouthatfirst. Hethoughttheywereaimeddirectlyathim. Throughthetreeshewatchedtheblackfiguresofthegunnersastheyworkedswiftlyandintently.Theirlaborseemedacomplicatedthing. Hewonderedhowtheycouldrememberitsformulainthemidstofconfusion. Thegunssquattedinarowlikesavagechiefs.Theyarguedwithabruptviolence.Itwasagrimpow-wow.Theirbusyservantsranhitherandthither. Asmallprocessionofwoundedmenweregoingdrearilytowardtherear.Itwasaflowofbloodfromthetornbodyofthebrigade. Totherightandtotheleftwerethedarklinesofothertroops. Farinfronthethoughthecouldseelightermassesprotrudinginpointsfromtheforest. Theyweresuggestiveofunnumberedthousands. Oncehesawatinybatterygodashingalongthelineofthehorizon.Thetinyriderswerebeatingthetinyhorses. Fromaslopinghillcamethesoundofcheeringsandclashes.Smokewelledslowlythroughtheleaves. Batterieswerespeakingwiththunderousoratoricaleffort.Hereandtherewereflags,theredinthestripesdominating.Theysplashedbitsofwarmcoloruponthedarklinesoftroops. Theyouthfelttheoldthrillatthesightoftheemblems.Theywerelikebeautifulbirdsstrangelyundauntedinastorm. Ashelistenedtothedinfromthehillside,toadeeppulsatingthunderthatcamefromafartotheleft,andtothelesserclamorswhichcamefrommanydirections,itoccurredtohimthattheywerefighting,too,overthere,andoverthere,andoverthere. Heretoforehehadsupposedthatallthebattlewasdirectlyunderhisnose. Ashegazedaroundhimtheyouthfeltaflashofastonishmentattheblue,pureskyandthesungleamingsonthetreesandfields. ItwassurprisingthatNaturehadgonetranquillyonwithhergoldenprocessinthemidstofsomuchdevilment. 
