Theyouthawakenedslowly.Hecamegraduallybacktoapositionfromwhichhecouldregardhimself. Formomentshehadbeenscrutinizinghispersoninadazedwayasifhehadneverbeforeseenhimself. Thenhepickeduphiscapfromtheground. Hewriggledinhisjackettomakeamorecomfortablefit,andkneelingrelacedhisshoe. Hethoughtfullymoppedhisreekingfeatures. Soitwasalloveratlast!Thesupremetrialhadbeenpassed.Thered,formidabledifficultiesofwarhadbeenvanquished. Hewentintoanecstasyofself-satisfaction. Hehadthemostdelightfulsensationsofhislife. Standingasifapartfromhimself,heviewedthatlastscene. Heperceivedthatthemanwhohadfoughtthuswasmagnificent. Hefeltthathewasafinefellow.Hesawhimselfevenwiththoseidealswhichhehadconsideredasfarbeyondhim.Hesmiledindeepgratification. Uponhisfellowshebeamedtendernessandgoodwill.“Gee!ain’tithot,hey?”hesaidaffablytoamanwhowaspolishinghisstreamingfacewithhiscoatsleeves. “Youbet!”saidtheother,grinningsociably.“Ineverseensechdumbhotness.” Hesprawledoutluxuriouslyontheground.“Gee,yes! An’Ihopewedon’thavenomorefightin’tillaweekfromMonday.” Thereweresomehandshakingsanddeepspeecheswithmenwhosefeatureswerefamiliar,butwithwhomtheyouthnowfeltthebondsoftiedhearts. Hehelpedacursingcomradetobindupawoundoftheshin. But,ofasudden,criesofamazementbrokeoutalongtheranksofthenewregiment.“Heretheycomeag’in!Heretheycomeag’in!”Themanwhohadsprawleduponthegroundstartedupandsaid,“Gosh!” Theyouthturnedquickeyesuponthefield.Hediscernedformsbegintoswellinmassesoutofadistantwood.Heagainsawthetiltedflagspeedingforward. Theshells,whichhadceasedtotroubletheregimentforatime,cameswirlingagain,andexplodedinthegrassoramongtheleavesofthetrees. Theylookedtobestrangewarflowersburstingintofiercebloom. Themengroaned.Thelusterfadedfromtheireyes. Theirsmudgedcountenancesnowexpressedaprofounddejection. Theymovedtheirstiffenedbodiesslowly,andwatchedinsullenmoodthefranticapproachoftheenemy. Theslavestoilinginthetempleofthisgodbegantofeelrebellionathisharshtasks. Theyfrettedandcomplainedeachtoeach.“Oh,say,thisistoomuchofagoodthing!Whycan’tsomebodysendussupports?” “Weain’tnevergoin’tostandthissecondbanging.Ididn’tcomeheretofightthehulldamn’rebelarmy.” Therewasonewhoraisedadolefulcry.“IwishBillSmithershadtrodonmyhand,insteadermetreddin’onhis’n.” Thesorejointsoftheregimentcreakedasitpainfullyflounderedintopositiontorepulse. Theyouthstared.Surely,hethought,thisimpossiblethingwasnotabouttohappen.Hewaitedasifheexpectedtheenemytosuddenlystop,apologize,andretirebowing.Itwasallamistake. Butthefiringbegansomewhereontheregimentallineandrippedalonginbothdirections. Thelevelsheetsofflamedevelopedgreatcloudsofsmokethattumbledandtossedinthemildwindnearthegroundforamoment,andthenrolledthroughtheranksasthroughagate. Thecloudsweretingedanearthlikeyellowinthesunraysandintheshadowwereasorryblue. Theflagwassometimeseatenandlostinthismassofvapor,butmoreoftenitprojected,sun-touched,resplendent. Intotheyouth’seyestherecamealookthatonecanseeintheorbsofajadedhorse. Hisneckwasquiveringwithnervousweaknessandthemusclesofhisarmsfeltnumbandbloodless. Hishands,too,seemedlargeandawkwardasifhewaswearinginvisiblemittens. Andtherewasagreatuncertaintyabouthiskneejoints. Thewordsthatcomradeshadutteredprevioustothefiringbegantorecurtohim. “Oh,say,thisistoomuchofagoodthing! Whatdotheytakeusfor—whydon’ttheysendsupports? Ididn’tcomeheretofightthehulldamnedrebelarmy.” Hebegantoexaggeratetheendurance,theskill,andthevalorofthosewhowerecoming. Himselfreelingfromexhaustion,hewasastonishedbeyondmeasureatsuchpersistency.Theymustbemachinesofsteel. Itwasverygloomystrugglingagainstsuchaffairs,woundupperhapstofightuntilsundown. Heslowlyliftedhisrifleandcatchingaglimpseofthethickspreadfieldheblazedatacanteringcluster. Hestoppedthenandbegantopeerasbestashecouldthroughthesmoke. Hecaughtchangingviewsofthegroundcoveredwithmenwhowereallrunninglikepursuedimps,andyelling. Totheyouthitwasanonslaughtofredoubtabledragons. Hebecamelikethemanwholosthislegsattheapproachoftheredandgreenmonster. Hewaitedinasortofahorrified,listeningattitude. Heseemedtoshuthiseyesandwaittobegobbled. Amannearhimwhouptothistimehadbeenworkingfeverishlyathisriflesuddenlystoppedandranwithhowls. Aladwhosefacehadborneanexpressionofexaltedcourage,themajestyofhewhodaresgivehislife,was,ataninstant,smittenabject. Heblanchedlikeonewhohascometotheedgeofacliffatmidnightandissuddenlymadeaware.Therewasarevelation.He,too,threwdownhisgunandfled.Therewasnoshameinhisface.Heranlikearabbit. Othersbegantoscamperawaythroughthesmoke.Theyouthturnedhishead,shakenfromhistrancebythismovementasiftheregimentwasleavinghimbehind.Hesawthefewfleetingforms. Heyelledthenwithfrightandswungabout.Foramoment,inthegreatclamor,hewaslikeaproverbialchicken.Helostthedirectionofsafety.Destructionthreatenedhimfromallpoints. Directlyhebegantospeedtowardtherearingreatleaps.Hisrifleandcapweregone.Hisunbuttonedcoatbulgedinthewind. Theflapofhiscartridgeboxbobbedwildly,andhiscanteen,byitsslendercord,swungoutbehind. Onhisfacewasallthehorrorofthosethingswhichheimagined. Thelieutenantsprangforwardbawling.Theyouthsawhisfeatureswrathfullyred,andsawhimmakeadabwithhissword. Hisonethoughtoftheincidentwasthatthelieutenantwasapeculiarcreaturetofeelinterestedinsuchmattersuponthisoccasion. Heranlikeablindman.Twoorthreetimeshefelldown.Onceheknockedhisshouldersoheavilyagainstatreethathewentheadlong. Sincehehadturnedhisbackuponthefighthisfearshadbeenwondrouslymagnified. Deathabouttothrusthimbetweentheshoulderbladeswasfarmoredreadfulthandeathabouttosmitehimbetweentheeyes. Whenhethoughtofitlater,heconceivedtheimpressionthatitisbettertoviewtheappallingthantobemerelywithinhearing. Thenoisesofthebattlewerelikestones;hebelievedhimselfliabletobecrushed. Asheranonhemingledwithothers.Hedimlysawmenonhisrightandonhisleft,andheheardfootstepsbehindhim.Hethoughtthatalltheregimentwasfleeing,pursuedbythoseominouscrashes. Inhisflightthesoundofthesefollowingfootstepsgavehimhisonemeagerrelief. Hefeltvaguelythatdeathmustmakeafirstchoiceofthemenwhowerenearest;theinitialmorselsforthedragonswouldbethenthosewhowerefollowinghim. Sohedisplayedthezealofaninsanesprinterinhispurposetokeepthemintherear.Therewasarace. Ashe,leading,wentacrossalittlefield,hefoundhimselfinaregionofshells. Theyhurtledoverhisheadwithlongwildscreams. Ashelistenedheimaginedthemtohaverowsofcruelteeththatgrinnedathim. Onceonelitbeforehimandthelividlightningoftheexplosioneffectuallybarredthewayinhischosendirection. Hegroveledonthegroundandthenspringingupwentcareeringoffthroughsomebushes. Heexperiencedathrillofamazementwhenhecamewithinviewofabatteryinaction. Thementhereseemedtobeinconventionalmoods,altogetherunawareoftheimpendingannihilation. Thebatterywasdisputingwithadistantantagonistandthegunnerswerewrappedinadmirationoftheirshooting. Theywerecontinuallybendingincoaxingposturesovertheguns. Theyseemedtobepattingthemonthebackandencouragingthemwithwords. Theguns,stolidandundaunted,spokewithdoggedvalor. Theprecisegunnerswerecoollyenthusiastic. Theyliftedtheireyeseverychancetothesmoke-wreathedhillockfromwhencethehostilebatteryaddressedthem.Theyouthpitiedthemasheran.Methodicalidiots!Machine-likefools! Therefinedjoyofplantingshellsinthemidstoftheotherbattery’sformationwouldappearalittlethingwhentheinfantrycameswoopingoutofthewoods. Thefaceofayouthfulrider,whowasjerkinghisfrantichorsewithanabandonoftemperhemightdisplayinaplacidbarnyard,wasimpresseddeeplyuponhismind. Heknewthathelookeduponamanwhowouldpresentlybedead. Too,hefeltapityfortheguns,standing,sixgoodcomrades,inaboldrow. Hesawabrigadegoingtothereliefofitspesteredfellows. Hescrambleduponaweehillandwatcheditsweepingfinely,keepingformationindifficultplaces. Theblueofthelinewascrustedwithsteelcolor,andthebrilliantflagsprojected.Officerswereshouting. Thissightalsofilledhimwithwonder.Thebrigadewashurryingbrisklytobegulpedintotheinfernalmouthsofthewargod.Whatmannerofmenwerethey,anyhow?Ah,itwassomewondrousbreed! Orelsetheydidn’tcomprehend—thefools. Afuriousordercausedcommotionintheartillery. Anofficeronaboundinghorsemademaniacalmotionswithhisarms. Theteamswentswingingupfromtherear,thegunswerewhirledabout,andthebatteryscamperedaway. Thecannonwiththeirnosespokedslantinglyatthegroundgruntedandgrumbledlikestoutmen,bravebutwithobjectionstohurry. Theyouthwenton,moderatinghispacesincehehadlefttheplaceofnoises. Laterhecameuponageneralofdivisionseateduponahorsethatprickeditsearsinaninterestedwayatthebattle. Therewasagreatgleamingofyellowandpatentleatheraboutthesaddleandbridle. Thequietmanastridelookedmouse-coloreduponsuchasplendidcharger. Ajinglingstaffwasgallopinghitherandthither. Sometimesthegeneralwassurroundedbyhorsemenandatothertimeshewasquitealone.Helookedtobemuchharassed. Hehadtheappearanceofabusinessmanwhosemarketisswingingupanddown. Theyouthwentslinkingaroundthisspot. Hewentasnearashedaredtryingtooverhearwords. Perhapsthegeneral,unabletocomprehendchaos,mightcalluponhimforinformation.Andhecouldtellhim.Heknewallconcerningit. Ofasuretytheforcewasinafix,andanyfoolcouldseethatiftheydidnotretreatwhiletheyhadopportunity—why— Hefeltthathewouldliketothrashthegeneral,oratleastapproachandtellhiminplainwordsexactlywhathethoughthimtobe. Itwascriminaltostaycalmlyinonespotandmakenoefforttostaydestruction. Heloiteredinafeverofeagernessforthedivisioncommandertoapplytohim. Ashewarilymovedabout,heheardthegeneralcalloutirritably:“Tompkins,gooveran’seeTaylor,an’tellhimnott’beinsuchanall-firedhurry;tellhimt’halthisbrigadeinth’edgeofth’woods;tellhimt’detachareg’ment—sayIthinkth’center‘llbreakifwedon’thelpitoutsome;tellhimt’hurryup.” Aslimyouthonafinechestnuthorsecaughttheseswiftwordsfromthemouthofhissuperior. Hemadehishorseboundintoagallopalmostfromawalkinhishastetogouponhismission.Therewasacloudofdust. Amomentlatertheyouthsawthegeneralbounceexcitedlyinhissaddle. “Yes,byheavens,theyhave!”Theofficerleanedforward.Hisfacewasaflamewithexcitement.“Yes,byheavens,they‘veheld‘im!They‘veheld‘im!” Hebegantoblithelyroarathisstaff:“We‘llwallop‘imnow.We‘llwallop‘imnow.We‘vegot‘emsure.” Heturnedsuddenlyuponanaide:“Here—you—Jons—quick—rideafterTompkins—seeTaylor—tellhimt’goin—everlastingly—likeblazes—anything.” Asanotherofficerspedhishorseafterthefirstmessenger,thegeneralbeamedupontheearthlikeasun. Inhiseyeswasadesiretochantapaean. Hekeptrepeating,“They‘veheld‘em,byheavens!” Hisexcitementmadehishorseplunge,andhemerrilykickedandsworeatit.Heheldalittlecarnivalofjoyonhorseback. 
