Whenthewoodsagainbegantopourforththedark-huedmassesoftheenemytheyouthfeltsereneself-confidence. Hesmiledbrieflywhenhesawmendodgeandduckatthelongscreechingsofshellsthatwerethrowningianthandfulsoverthem. Hestood,erectandtranquil,watchingtheattackbeginagainstapartofthelinethatmadeabluecurvealongthesideofanadjacenthill. Hisvisionbeingunmolestedbysmokefromtheriflesofhiscompanions,hehadopportunitiestoseepartsofthehardfight. Itwasarelieftoperceiveatlastfromwhencecamesomeofthesenoiseswhichhadbeenroaredintohisears. Offashortwayhesawtworegimentsfightingalittleseparatebattlewithtwootherregiments. Itwasinaclearedspace,wearingaset-apartlook. Theywereblazingasifuponawager,givingandtakingtremendousblows. Thefiringswereincrediblyfierceandrapid. Theseintentregimentsapparentlywereobliviousofalllargerpurposesofwar,andweresluggingeachotherasifatamatchedgame. Inanotherdirectionhesawamagnificentbrigadegoingwiththeevidentintentionofdrivingtheenemyfromawood. Theypassedinoutofsightandpresentlytherewasamostawe-inspiringracketinthewood.Thenoisewasunspeakable. Havingstirredthisprodigiousuproar,and,apparently,findingittooprodigious,thebrigade,afteralittletime,camemarchingairilyoutagainwithitsfineformationinnowisedisturbed. Therewerenotracesofspeedinitsmovements. Thebrigadewasjauntyandseemedtopointaproudthumbattheyellingwood. Onaslopetothelefttherewasalongrowofguns,gruffandmaddened,denouncingtheenemy,who,downthroughthewoods,wereformingforanotherattackinthepitilessmonotonyofconflicts. Theroundreddischargesfromthegunsmadeacrimsonflareandahigh,thicksmoke. Occasionalglimpsescouldbecaughtofgroupsofthetoilingartillerymen. Intherearofthisrowofgunsstoodahouse,calmandwhite,amidburstingshells. Acongregationofhorses,tiedtoalongrailing,weretuggingfrenziedlyattheirbridles.Menwererunninghitherandthither. Thedetachedbattlebetweenthefourregimentslastedforsometime. Therechancedtobenointerference,andtheysettledtheirdisputebythemselves. Theystrucksavagelyandpowerfullyateachotherforaperiodofminutes,andthenthelighter-huedregimentsfalteredanddrewback,leavingthedark-bluelinesshouting. Theyouthcouldseethetwoflagsshakingwithlaughteramidthesmokeremnants. Presentlytherewasastillness,pregnantwithmeaning. Thebluelinesshiftedandchangedatrifleandstaredexpectantlyatthesilentwoodsandfieldsbeforethem. Thehushwassolemnandchurchlike,saveforadistantbatterythat,evidentlyunabletoremainquiet,sentafaintrollingthunderovertheground. Itirritated,likethenoisesofunimpressedboys. Themenimaginedthatitwouldpreventtheirperchedearsfromhearingthefirstwordsofthenewbattle. Ofasuddenthegunsonthesloperoaredoutamessageofwarning. Asplutteringsoundhadbeguninthewoods. Itswelledwithamazingspeedtoaprofoundclamorthatinvolvedtheearthinnoises. Thesplittingcrashessweptalongthelinesuntilaninterminableroarwasdeveloped. Tothoseinthemidstofititbecameadinfittedtotheuniverse. Itwasthewhirringandthumpingofgiganticmachinery,complicationsamongthesmallerstars.Theyouth’searswerefilledcups.Theywereincapableofhearingmore. Onaninclineoverwhicharoadwoundhesawwildanddesperaterushesofmenperpetuallybackwardandforwardinriotoussurges. Thesepartsoftheopposingarmiesweretwolongwavesthatpitcheduponeachothermadlyatdictatedpoints.Toandfrotheyswelled. Sometimes,onesidebyitsyellsandcheerswouldproclaimdecisiveblows,butamomentlatertheothersidewouldbeallyellsandcheers. Oncetheyouthsawasprayoflightformsgoinhoundlikeleapstowardthewavingbluelines. Therewasmuchhowling,andpresentlyitwentawaywithavastmouthfulofprisoners. Again,hesawabluewavedashwithsuchthunderousforceagainstagrayobstructionthatitseemedtocleartheearthofitandleavenothingbuttrampledsod. Andalwaysintheirswiftanddeadlyrushestoandfrothemenscreamedandyelledlikemaniacs. Particularpiecesoffenceorsecurepositionsbehindcollectionsoftreeswerewrangledover,asgoldthronesorpearlbedsteads. Thereweredesperatelungesatthesechosenspotsseeminglyeveryinstant,andmostofthemwerebandiedlikelighttoysbetweenthecontendingforces. Theyouthcouldnottellfromthebattleflagsflyinglikecrimsonfoaminmanydirectionswhichcolorofclothwaswinning. Hisemaciatedregimentbustledforthwithundiminishedfiercenesswhenitstimecame. Whenassaultedagainbybullets,themenburstoutinabarbariccryofrageandpain. Theybenttheirheadsinaimsofintenthatredbehindtheprojectedhammersoftheirguns. Theirramrodsclangedloudwithfuryastheireagerarmspoundedthecartridgesintotheriflebarrels. Thefrontoftheregimentwasasmoke-wallpenetratedbytheflashingpointsofyellowandred. Wallowinginthefight,theywereinanastonishinglyshorttimeresmudged. Theysurpassedinstainanddirtalltheirpreviousappearances. Movingtoandfrowithstrainedexertion,jabberingallthewhile,theywere,withtheirswayingbodies,blackfaces,andglowingeyes,likestrangeanduglyfiendsjiggingheavilyinthesmoke. Thelieutenant,returningfromatourafterabandage,producedfromahiddenreceptacleofhismindnewandportentousoathssuitedtotheemergency. Stringsofexpletivesheswunglashlikeoverthebacksofhismen,anditwasevidentthathispreviouseffortshadinnowiseimpairedhisresources. Theyouth,stillthebearerofthecolors,didnotfeelhisidleness.Hewasdeeplyabsorbedasaspectator. Thecrashandswingofthegreatdramamadehimleanforward,intent-eyed,hisfaceworkinginsmallcontortions. Sometimesheprattled,wordscomingunconsciouslyfromhimingrotesqueexclamations. Hedidnotknowthathebreathed;thattheflaghungsilentlyoverhim,soabsorbedwashe. Aformidablelineoftheenemycamewithindangerousrange.Theycouldbeseenplainly—tall,gauntmenwithexcitedfacesrunningwithlongstridestowardawanderingfence. Atsightofthisdangerthemensuddenlyceasedtheircursingmonotone. Therewasaninstantofstrainedsilencebeforetheythrewuptheirriflesandfiredaplumpingvolleyatthefoes. Therehadbeennoordergiven;themen,uponrecognizingthemenace,hadimmediatelyletdrivetheirflockofbulletswithoutwaitingforwordofcommand. Buttheenemywerequicktogaintheprotectionofthewanderinglineoffence.Theysliddownbehinditwithremarkablecelerity,andfromthispositiontheybeganbrisklytosliceupthebluemen. Theselatterbracedtheirenergiesforagreatstruggle. Often,whiteclinchedteethshonefromtheduskyfaces. Manyheadssurgedtoandfro,floatinguponapaleseaofsmoke. Thosebehindthefencefrequentlyshoutedandyelpedintauntsandgibelikecries,buttheregimentmaintainedastressedsilence. Perhaps,atthisnewassaultthemenrecalledthefactthattheyhadbeennamedmuddiggers,anditmadetheirsituationthricebitter. Theywerebreathlesslyintentuponkeepingthegroundandthrustingawaytherejoicingbodyoftheenemy. Theyfoughtswiftlyandwithadespairingsavagenessdenotedintheirexpressions. Theyouthhadresolvednottobudgewhatevershouldhappen. Somearrowsofscornthathadburiedthemselvesinhishearthadgeneratedstrangeandunspeakablehatred. Itwascleartohimthathisfinalandabsoluterevengewastobeachievedbyhisdeadbodylying,tornandgluttering,uponthefield. Thiswastobeapoignantretaliationupontheofficerwhohadsaid“muledrivers,”andlater“muddiggers,”forinallthewildgraspingsofhismindforaunitresponsibleforhissufferingsandcommotionshealwaysseizeduponthemanwhohaddubbedhimwrongly. Anditwashisidea,vaguelyformulated,thathiscorpsewouldbeforthoseeyesagreatandsaltreproach. Theregimentbledextravagantly.Gruntingbundlesofbluebegantodrop. Theorderlysergeantoftheyouth’scompanywasshotthroughthecheeks. Itssupportsbeinginjured,hisjawhungafardown,disclosinginthewidecavernofhismouthapulsingmassofbloodandteeth. Andwithitallhemadeattemptstocryout. Inhisendeavortherewasadreadfulearnestness,asifheconceivedthatonegreatshriekwouldmakehimwell. Theyouthsawhimpresentlygorearward.Hisstrengthseemedinnowiseimpaired.Heranswiftly,castingwildglancesforsuccor. Othersfelldownaboutthefeetoftheircompanions.Someofthewoundedcrawledoutandaway,butmanylaystill,theirbodiestwistedintoimpossibleshapes. Theyouthlookedonceforhisfriend.Hesawavehementyoungman,powder-smearedandfrowzled,whomheknewtobehim. Thelieutenant,also,wasunscathedinhispositionattherear. Hehadcontinuedtocurse,butitwasnowwiththeairofamanwhowasusinghislastboxofoaths. Forthefireoftheregimenthadbeguntowaneanddrip.Therobustvoice,thathadcomestrangelyfromthethinranks,wasgrowingrapidlyweak. 
