Chapter 6

The youth awakened slowly. He came gradually back to a position from which he could regard himself. For moments he had been scrutinizing his person in a dazed way as if he had never before seen himself. Then he picked up his cap from the ground. He wriggled in his jacket to make a more comfortable fit, and kneeling relaced his shoe. He thoughtfully mopped his reeking features.

The young man woke slowly. Gradually, he became aware of himself again. For a few moments, he stared at his body in a daze, as if he had never seen it before. Then he picked up his cap from the ground. He squirmed in his jacket to make it fit more comfortably. He knelt and retied his shoe. Thoughtfully, he wiped his sweat-soaked face.

So it was all over at last! The supreme trial had been passed. The red, formidable difficulties of war had been vanquished.

So it was all over at last! The greatest test had been passed. The red, terrible challenges of war had been overcome.

He went into an ecstasy of self-satisfaction. He had the most delightful sensations of his life. Standing as if apart from himself, he viewed that last scene. He perceived that the man who had fought thus was magnificent.

He was overcome with delight in himself. He felt better than he ever had in his life. As if standing apart from himself, he looked back on the last scene. He saw that the man who had fought like that was magnificent.

He felt that he was a fine fellow. He saw himself even with those ideals which he had considered as far beyond him. He smiled in deep gratification.

He felt he was a fine fellow. He saw himself as equal to the ideals he had thought were far beyond him. He smiled with deep satisfaction.

Upon his fellows he beamed tenderness and good will. “Gee! ain’t it hot, hey?” he said affably to a man who was polishing his streaming face with his coat sleeves.

He beamed at his fellow soldiers with tenderness and goodwill. “Gee, it’s hot, isn’t it?” he said warmly to a man wiping his sweaty face with his coat sleeves.

“You bet!” said the other, grinning sociably. “I never seen sech dumb hotness.” He sprawled out luxuriously on the ground. “Gee, yes! An’ I hope we don’t have no more fightin’ till a week from Monday.”

“You bet!” said the other man, smiling warmly. “I’ve never seen such stupid heat.” He stretched out comfortably on the ground. “Gee, yes! And I hope we don’t have any more fighting until a week from Monday.”

There were some handshakings and deep speeches with men whose features were familiar, but with whom the youth now felt the bonds of tied hearts. He helped a cursing comrade to bind up a wound of the shin.

He shook hands and had some heartfelt conversations with men whose faces were familiar. Now he felt a deep bond with them. He helped a cursing comrade bandage a wound on his shin.

But, of a sudden, cries of amazement broke out along the ranks of the new regiment. “Here they come ag’in! Here they come ag’in!” The man who had sprawled upon the ground started up and said, “Gosh!”

But suddenly, cries of amazement rang out along the ranks of the new regiment. “Here they come again! Here they come again!” The man who had been lying on the ground jumped up and said, “Gosh!”

The youth turned quick eyes upon the field. He discerned forms begin to swell in masses out of a distant wood. He again saw the tilted flag speeding forward.

The young man glanced quickly across the field. He saw figures beginning to emerge in growing masses from a distant wood. Again, he saw the tilted flag speeding forward.

The shells, which had ceased to trouble the regiment for a time, came swirling again, and exploded in the grass or among the leaves of the trees. They looked to be strange war flowers bursting into fierce bloom.

The shells had stopped troubling the regiment for a while. Now they came swirling back, exploding in the grass or among the leaves of the trees. They looked like strange war flowers bursting into fierce bloom.

The men groaned. The luster faded from their eyes. Their smudged countenances now expressed a profound dejection. They moved their stiffened bodies slowly, and watched in sullen mood the frantic approach of the enemy. The slaves toiling in the temple of this god began to feel rebellion at his harsh tasks.

The men groaned. The light faded from their eyes. Their smudged faces showed deep despair. They moved their stiff bodies slowly and watched the enemy rush toward them, their spirits dark. The slaves laboring in this god’s temple began to rebel against his harsh demands.

They fretted and complained each to each. “Oh, say, this is too much of a good thing! Why can’t somebody send us supports?”

They worried and complained to one another. “Oh, come on, this is too much! Why can’t somebody send us reinforcements?”

“We ain’t never goin’ to stand this second banging. I didn’t come here to fight the hull damn’ rebel army.”

“We’re never going to stand up to this second attack. I didn’t come here to fight the whole damn rebel army.”

There was one who raised a doleful cry. “I wish Bill Smithers had trod on my hand, insteader me treddin’ on his’n.” The sore joints of the regiment creaked as it painfully floundered into position to repulse.

One man cried out sadly, “I wish Bill Smithers had stepped on my hand instead of me stepping on his.” The regiment’s sore joints creaked as the men struggled painfully into position to fight back.

The youth stared. Surely, he thought, this impossible thing was not about to happen. He waited as if he expected the enemy to suddenly stop, apologize, and retire bowing. It was all a mistake.

The young man stared. Surely, he thought, this impossible thing wasn't about to happen. He waited as if he expected the enemy to suddenly stop, apologize, and bow as they withdrew. It was all a mistake.

But the firing began somewhere on the regimental line and ripped along in both directions. The level sheets of flame developed great clouds of smoke that tumbled and tossed in the mild wind near the ground for a moment, and then rolled through the ranks as through a gate. The clouds were tinged an earthlike yellow in the sunrays and in the shadow were a sorry blue. The flag was sometimes eaten and lost in this mass of vapor, but more often it projected, sun-touched, resplendent.

But firing began somewhere along the regiment’s line and spread rapidly in both directions. Flat sheets of flame produced great clouds of smoke. For a moment, the smoke tumbled and swirled near the ground in the gentle wind. Then it rolled through the ranks as if through a gate. In the sunlight, the clouds had an earthy yellow tint. In the shadows, they were a dreary blue. The flag was sometimes swallowed up and lost in the smoke. But more often it stood out, brilliant in the sunlight.

Into the youth’s eyes there came a look that one can see in the orbs of a jaded horse. His neck was quivering with nervous weakness and the muscles of his arms felt numb and bloodless. His hands, too, seemed large and awkward as if he was wearing invisible mittens. And there was a great uncertainty about his knee joints.

The youth’s eyes took on the look of an exhausted horse’s. His neck trembled with nervous weakness. His arm muscles felt numb and bloodless. His hands seemed large and awkward, as if he were wearing invisible mittens. His knees felt very unsteady.

The words that comrades had uttered previous to the firing began to recur to him. “Oh, say, this is too much of a good thing! What do they take us for—why don’t they send supports? I didn’t come here to fight the hull damned rebel army.”

He began to remember what his comrades had said before the firing began. “Oh, come on, this is too much of a good thing! What do they take us for? Why don’t they send reinforcements? I didn’t come here to fight the whole damned rebel army.”

He began to exaggerate the endurance, the skill, and the valor of those who were coming. Himself reeling from exhaustion, he was astonished beyond measure at such persistency. They must be machines of steel. It was very gloomy struggling against such affairs, wound up perhaps to fight until sundown.

He began to exaggerate the endurance, skill, and courage of those coming toward him. Reeling from exhaustion himself, he was utterly amazed that they kept coming. They must be made of steel. It was terribly discouraging to struggle against such machines, perhaps wound up to fight until sundown.

He slowly lifted his rifle and catching a glimpse of the thickspread field he blazed at a cantering cluster. He stopped then and began to peer as best as he could through the smoke. He caught changing views of the ground covered with men who were all running like pursued imps, and yelling.

He slowly raised his rifle and glimpsed the crowded field. He fired at a group of men running past. Then he stopped and tried to see through the smoke. He caught shifting glimpses of the ground, which was covered with men. They were all yelling and running like demons being chased.

To the youth it was an onslaught of redoubtable dragons. He became like the man who lost his legs at the approach of the red and green monster. He waited in a sort of a horrified, listening attitude. He seemed to shut his eyes and wait to be gobbled.

To the youth, it was an attack by fearsome dragons. He became like a man whose legs gave way as a red and green monster approached. He waited, horrified, listening. He seemed to close his eyes and wait to be swallowed up.

A man near him who up to this time had been working feverishly at his rifle suddenly stopped and ran with howls. A lad whose face had borne an expression of exalted courage, the majesty of he who dares give his life, was, at an instant, smitten abject. He blanched like one who has come to the edge of a cliff at midnight and is suddenly made aware. There was a revelation. He, too, threw down his gun and fled. There was no shame in his face. He ran like a rabbit.

A man near him had been working frantically at his rifle. Suddenly, he stopped and ran, howling. A young soldier’s face had shown a look of exalted courage, the dignity of someone willing to give his life. In an instant, he was overcome with fear. He turned pale like someone who reaches the edge of a cliff at midnight and suddenly realizes where he is. He understood. He, too, threw down his gun and fled. There was no shame in his face. He ran like a rabbit.

Others began to scamper away through the smoke. The youth turned his head, shaken from his trance by this movement as if the regiment was leaving him behind. He saw the few fleeting forms.

Others began to run away through the smoke. The movement shook the youth from his trance, and he turned his head, as if the regiment were leaving him behind. He saw a few figures moving quickly away.

He yelled then with fright and swung about. For a moment, in the great clamor, he was like a proverbial chicken. He lost the direction of safety. Destruction threatened him from all points.

He yelled in fear and spun around. For a moment, amid the deafening noise, he was like a chicken running around in panic. He lost track of which way led to safety. Destruction threatened him from every direction.

Directly he began to speed toward the rear in great leaps. His rifle and cap were gone. His unbuttoned coat bulged in the wind. The flap of his cartridge box bobbed wildly, and his canteen, by its slender cord, swung out behind. On his face was all the horror of those things which he imagined.

Immediately, he began leaping toward the rear. His rifle and cap were gone. His unbuttoned coat billowed in the wind. The flap of his cartridge box bounced wildly, and his canteen swung out behind him on its thin cord. His face showed all the horror of the things he imagined.

The lieutenant sprang forward bawling. The youth saw his features wrathfully red, and saw him make a dab with his sword. His one thought of the incident was that the lieutenant was a peculiar creature to feel interested in such matters upon this occasion.

The lieutenant sprang forward, shouting. The youth saw that his face was red with anger and that he jabbed with his sword. The youth’s only thought was that the lieutenant was a strange man to be interested in such things at a time like this.

He ran like a blind man. Two or three times he fell down. Once he knocked his shoulder so heavily against a tree that he went headlong.

He ran like a blind man. He fell two or three times. Once, he struck his shoulder so hard against a tree that he fell forward.

Since he had turned his back upon the fight his fears had been wondrously magnified. Death about to thrust him between the shoulder blades was far more dreadful than death about to smite him between the eyes. When he thought of it later, he conceived the impression that it is better to view the appalling than to be merely within hearing. The noises of the battle were like stones; he believed himself liable to be crushed.

Since he had turned his back on the fight, his fears had grown enormously. Death about to strike him between the shoulder blades was far more frightening than death about to strike him between the eyes. Later, he came to believe that seeing something terrifying was better than merely hearing it. The sounds of battle were like stones. He felt they might crush him.

As he ran on he mingled with others. He dimly saw men on his right and on his left, and he heard footsteps behind him. He thought that all the regiment was fleeing, pursued by those ominous crashes.

As he kept running, he joined others. He could barely see men to his right and left, and he heard footsteps behind him. He thought the whole regiment was fleeing, pursued by those ominous crashes.

In his flight the sound of these following footsteps gave him his one meager relief. He felt vaguely that death must make a first choice of the men who were nearest; the initial morsels for the dragons would be then those who were following him. So he displayed the zeal of an insane sprinter in his purpose to keep them in the rear. There was a race.

As he fled, the sound of footsteps behind him gave him his only small comfort. He had a vague feeling that death must choose the nearest men first. The men following him would be the dragons’ first morsels. So he ran with the mad zeal of a sprinter, determined to keep them behind him. It was a race.

As he, leading, went across a little field, he found himself in a region of shells. They hurtled over his head with long wild screams. As he listened he imagined them to have rows of cruel teeth that grinned at him. Once one lit before him and the livid lightning of the explosion effectually barred the way in his chosen direction. He groveled on the ground and then springing up went careering off through some bushes.

As he led the way across a small field, he found himself amid exploding shells. They hurtled over his head with long, wild screams. As he listened, he imagined the shells had rows of cruel teeth that grinned at him. One landed in front of him, and the fierce flash of its explosion blocked his chosen path. He threw himself to the ground, then sprang up and rushed off through some bushes.

He experienced a thrill of amazement when he came within view of a battery in action. The men there seemed to be in conventional moods, altogether unaware of the impending annihilation. The battery was disputing with a distant antagonist and the gunners were wrapped in admiration of their shooting. They were continually bending in coaxing postures over the guns. They seemed to be patting them on the back and encouraging them with words. The guns, stolid and undaunted, spoke with dogged valor.

He felt a thrill of amazement when he saw a battery firing. The men there seemed to be behaving normally, completely unaware that they were about to be wiped out. The battery was fighting a distant enemy, and the gunners were absorbed in admiring their own shooting. They kept bending over the guns as if coaxing them. They seemed to be patting the guns on the back and encouraging them with words. The guns, steady and fearless, spoke with stubborn courage.

The precise gunners were coolly enthusiastic. They lifted their eyes every chance to the smoke-wreathed hillock from whence the hostile battery addressed them. The youth pitied them as he ran. Methodical idiots! Machine-like fools! The refined joy of planting shells in the midst of the other battery’s formation would appear a little thing when the infantry came swooping out of the woods.

The precise gunners were calmly enthusiastic. Whenever they had a chance, they looked up at the smoke-covered hill where the enemy battery was firing at them. The youth pitied them as he ran. Methodical idiots! Machine-like fools! Their refined pleasure in landing shells amid the enemy battery would seem trivial when the infantry came swooping out of the woods.

The face of a youthful rider, who was jerking his frantic horse with an abandon of temper he might display in a placid barnyard, was impressed deeply upon his mind. He knew that he looked upon a man who would presently be dead.

The face of a young rider was deeply fixed in his mind. The rider was jerking his frantic horse around in anger, as freely as he might in a peaceful barnyard. He knew the young man would soon be dead.

Too, he felt a pity for the guns, standing, six good comrades, in a bold row.

He also felt pity for the six guns, standing in a bold row like good comrades.

He saw a brigade going to the relief of its pestered fellows. He scrambled upon a wee hill and watched it sweeping finely, keeping formation in difficult places. The blue of the line was crusted with steel color, and the brilliant flags projected. Officers were shouting.

He saw a brigade going to help its embattled comrades. He scrambled up a small hill and watched the brigade sweep forward impressively, keeping formation over difficult ground. Steel glinted along the blue line, and brilliant flags stood out. Officers were shouting.

This sight also filled him with wonder. The brigade was hurrying briskly to be gulped into the infernal mouths of the war god. What manner of men were they, anyhow? Ah, it was some wondrous breed! Or else they didn’t comprehend—the fools.

This sight also filled him with wonder. The brigade was hurrying toward the hellish mouths of the war god, ready to be swallowed up. What kind of men were they, anyway? Ah, they were some extraordinary breed! Or else they didn’t understand, the fools.

A furious order caused commotion in the artillery. An officer on a bounding horse made maniacal motions with his arms. The teams went swinging up from the rear, the guns were whirled about, and the battery scampered away. The cannon with their noses poked slantingly at the ground grunted and grumbled like stout men, brave but with objections to hurry.

A furious order threw the artillery into chaos. An officer on a bounding horse waved his arms wildly. The teams of horses swung up from the rear, the guns were turned around, and the battery raced away. The cannons pointed downward at an angle and grunted and grumbled like stout men, brave but reluctant to hurry.

The youth went on, moderating his pace since he had left the place of noises.

The young man went on, slowing his pace now that he had left the noisy place.

Later he came upon a general of division seated upon a horse that pricked its ears in an interested way at the battle. There was a great gleaming of yellow and patent leather about the saddle and bridle. The quiet man astride looked mouse-colored upon such a splendid charger.

Later he came upon a division general sitting on a horse. The horse pricked up its ears, as if interested in the battle. The saddle and bridle gleamed with yellow decorations and patent leather. The quiet man on the splendid horse looked as drab as a mouse.

A jingling staff was galloping hither and thither. Sometimes the general was surrounded by horsemen and at other times he was quite alone. He looked to be much harassed. He had the appearance of a business man whose market is swinging up and down.

The general’s staff galloped back and forth, their gear jingling. Sometimes horsemen surrounded the general, and at other times he was alone. He looked very troubled, like a businessman watching the market rise and fall.

The youth went slinking around this spot. He went as near as he dared trying to overhear words. Perhaps the general, unable to comprehend chaos, might call upon him for information. And he could tell him. He knew all concerning it. Of a surety the force was in a fix, and any fool could see that if they did not retreat while they had opportunity—why—

The young man crept around the spot. He got as close as he dared, trying to overhear what was being said. Perhaps the general could not make sense of the chaos and might ask him for information. He could tell the general. He knew all about it. The force was certainly in trouble. Any fool could see that if they did not retreat while they had the chance, well...

He felt that he would like to thrash the general, or at least approach and tell him in plain words exactly what he thought him to be. It was criminal to stay calmly in one spot and make no effort to stay destruction. He loitered in a fever of eagerness for the division commander to apply to him.

He wanted to beat the general, or at least go up to him and tell him plainly what he thought of him. It was criminal to stay calmly in one place and do nothing to stop the destruction. He lingered, feverishly eager for the division commander to call on him.

As he warily moved about, he heard the general call out irritably: “Tompkins, go over an’ see Taylor, an’ tell him not t’ be in such an all-fired hurry; tell him t’ halt his brigade in th’ edge of th’ woods; tell him t’ detach a reg’ment—say I think th’ center ’ll break if we don’t help it out some; tell him t’ hurry up.”

As he moved about cautiously, he heard the general call out irritably: “Tompkins, go see Taylor. Tell him not to be in such a damned hurry. Tell him to halt his brigade at the edge of the woods. Tell him to send a regiment. Say I think the center will break if we don't give it some help. Tell him to hurry up.”

A slim youth on a fine chestnut horse caught these swift words from the mouth of his superior. He made his horse bound into a gallop almost from a walk in his haste to go upon his mission. There was a cloud of dust.

A slim young man on a fine chestnut horse heard his superior’s quick words. In his haste to carry out his mission, he urged his horse from a walk into a gallop. A cloud of dust rose.

A moment later the youth saw the general bounce excitedly in his saddle.

A moment later, the young man saw the general bounce excitedly in his saddle.

“Yes, by heavens, they have!” The officer leaned forward. His face was aflame with excitement. “Yes, by heavens, they’ve held ’im! They’ve held ’im!”

“Yes, by God, they have!” The officer leaned forward. His face was glowing with excitement. “Yes, by God, they’ve held him! They’ve held him!”

He began to blithely roar at his staff: “We’ll wallop ’im now. We’ll wallop ’im now. We’ve got ’em sure.” He turned suddenly upon an aide: “Here—you—Jones—quick—ride after Tompkins—see Taylor—tell him t’ go in—everlastingly—like blazes—anything.”

He began shouting cheerfully at his staff: “We’ll beat him now. We’ll beat him now. We’ve got them for sure.” He suddenly turned to an aide: “Here, you, Jones, quick, ride after Tompkins, see Taylor, tell him to go in, full force, like hell, anything.”

As another officer sped his horse after the first messenger, the general beamed upon the earth like a sun. In his eyes was a desire to chant a paean. He kept repeating, “They’ve held ’em, by heavens!”

As another officer rode quickly after the first messenger, the general beamed down at the earth like a sun. His eyes showed that he wanted to sing a song of praise. He kept repeating, “They’ve held ’em, by heavens!”

His excitement made his horse plunge, and he merrily kicked and swore at it. He held a little carnival of joy on horseback.

His excitement made his horse jump, and he cheerfully kicked and swore at it. He had a little celebration of his own on horseback.