Chapter 23

The colonel came running along the back of the line. There were other officers following him. “We must charge ’m!” they shouted. “We must charge ’m!” they cried with resentful voices, as if anticipating a rebellion against this plan by the men.

The colonel came running along the back of the line, followed by other officers. “We must charge them!” they shouted. “We must charge them!” Their voices were resentful, as if they expected the men to rebel against the plan.

The youth, upon hearing the shouts, began to study the distance between him and the enemy. He made vague calculations. He saw that to be firm soldiers they must go forward. It would be death to stay in the present place, and with all the circumstances to go backward would exalt too many others. Their hope was to push the galling foes away from the fence.

When the youth heard the shouts, he began to judge the distance between himself and the enemy. He made rough calculations. He saw that they had to advance to prove themselves steadfast soldiers. Staying where they were would mean death. And given the circumstances, retreating would bring too much glory to others. Their hope was to drive the harassing enemy away from the fence.

He expected that his companions, weary and stiffened, would have to be driven to this assault, but as he turned toward them he perceived with a certain surprise that they were giving quick and unqualified expressions of assent. There was an ominous, clanging overture to the charge when the shafts of the bayonets rattled upon the rifle barrels. At the yelled words of command the soldiers sprang forward in eager leaps. There was new and unexpected force in the movement of the regiment. A knowledge of its faded and jaded condition made the charge appear like a paroxysm, a display of the strength that comes before a final feebleness. The men scampered in insane fever of haste, racing as if to achieve a sudden success before an exhilarating fluid should leave them. It was a blind and despairing rush by the collection of men in dusty and tattered blue, over a green sward and under a sapphire sky, toward a fence, dimly outlined in smoke, from behind which sputtered the fierce rifles of enemies.

He expected his companions, tired and stiff, to need to be driven into the attack. But when he turned toward them, he was surprised to see them agree quickly and without hesitation. Before the charge, bayonets rattled against rifle barrels with an ominous clang. When the commands were shouted, the soldiers leaped eagerly forward. The regiment moved with new and unexpected force. Knowing how worn out the men were, he saw the charge as a sudden burst of strength before final weakness. The men rushed forward in a mad fever of haste. They raced as if trying to win sudden success before some exhilarating fluid left them. The men in dusty, tattered blue rushed blindly and desperately across green grass under a sapphire sky. They headed toward a fence barely visible through the smoke. From behind it, the enemy rifles sputtered fiercely.

The youth kept the bright colors to the front. He was waving his free arm in furious circles, the while shrieking mad calls and appeals, urging on those that did not need to be urged, for it seemed that the mob of blue men hurling themselves on the dangerous group of rifles were again grown suddenly wild with an enthusiasm of unselfishness. From the many firings starting toward them, it looked as if they would merely succeed in making a great sprinkling of corpses on the grass between their former position and the fence. But they were in a state of frenzy, perhaps because of forgotten vanities, and it made an exhibition of sublime recklessness. There was no obvious questioning, nor figurings, nor diagrams. There was, apparently, no considered loopholes. It appeared that the swift wings of their desires would have shattered against the iron gates of the impossible.

The youth held the bright colors out in front. He waved his free arm in furious circles, shrieking wild cries and appeals. He urged on men who did not need urging. The mass of blue-clad men throwing themselves at the dangerous group of riflemen seemed suddenly wild again with selfless enthusiasm. So many shots were coming at them that they seemed likely only to scatter corpses across the grass between their former position and the fence. But they were in a frenzy, perhaps because they had forgotten their pride, and they showed a sublime recklessness. There was no obvious questioning, calculating, or planning. Apparently, they had not considered any way out. It seemed that the swift wings of their desires would have shattered against the iron gates of the impossible.

He himself felt the daring spirit of a savage, religion-mad. He was capable of profound sacrifices, a tremendous death. He had no time for dissections, but he knew that he thought of the bullets only as things that could prevent him from reaching the place of his endeavor. There were subtle flashings of joy within him that thus should be his mind.

He felt the fearless spirit of a savage driven mad by religion. He was capable of great sacrifices and a magnificent death. He had no time to examine his thoughts, but he knew he saw the bullets only as obstacles. They could keep him from reaching the place where he meant to fight. He felt subtle flashes of joy at thinking this way.

He strained all his strength. His eyesight was shaken and dazzled by the tension of thought and muscle. He did not see anything excepting the mist of smoke gashed by the little knives of fire, but he knew that in it lay the aged fence of a vanished farmer protecting the snuggled bodies of the gray men.

He strained with all his strength. The tension in his mind and muscles made his vision shake and blur. He saw nothing but a haze of smoke slashed by little knives of fire. But he knew that an old fence stood in the smoke, left by a farmer who was gone. The fence protected the bodies of the gray men huddled behind it.

As he ran a thought of the shock of contact gleamed in his mind. He expected a great concussion when the two bodies of troops crashed together. This became a part of his wild battle madness. He could feel the onward swing of the regiment about him and he conceived of a thunderous, crushing blow that would prostrate the resistance and spread consternation and amazement for miles. The flying regiment was going to have a catapultian effect. This dream made him run faster among his comrades, who were giving vent to hoarse and frantic cheers.

As he ran, the thought of the shock of contact flashed through his mind. He expected a tremendous collision when the two bodies of troops crashed together. The thought became part of his wild battle madness. He could feel the regiment sweeping forward around him. He imagined a thunderous, crushing blow that would flatten the resistance and spread shock and amazement for miles. The charging regiment would strike like a catapult. The dream made him run faster among his comrades, who were shouting hoarse, frantic cheers.

But presently he could see that many of the men in gray did not intend to abide the blow. The smoke, rolling, disclosed men who ran, their faces still turned. These grew to a crowd, who retired stubbornly. Individuals wheeled frequently to send a bullet at the blue wave.

But soon he could see that many of the men in gray did not intend to stand against the attack. The rolling smoke revealed men running, their faces still turned toward the fighting. Their numbers grew into a crowd, retreating stubbornly. Men frequently turned to fire a shot at the blue wave.

But at one part of the line there was a grim and obdurate group that made no movement. They were settled firmly down behind posts and rails. A flag, ruffled and fierce, waved over them and their rifles dinned fiercely.

But at one point in the line, a grim, stubborn group held its ground. They were firmly settled behind posts and rails. A flag waved above them, ruffled and fierce, and their rifles rang out fiercely.

The blue whirl of men got very near, until it seemed that in truth there would be a close and frightful scuffle. There was an expressed disdain in the opposition of the little group, that changed the meaning of the cheers of the men in blue. They became yells of wrath, directed, personal. The cries of the two parties were now in sound an interchange of scathing insults.

The swirling mass of men in blue came very close. It seemed there really would be a close and terrifying fight. The small group openly showed its contempt as it stood against them, changing the meaning of the blue-clad men’s cheers. The cheers became angry, personal yells. The two sides now sounded as if they were hurling bitter insults at each other.

They in blue showed their teeth; their eyes shone all white. They launched themselves as at the throats of those who stood resisting. The space between dwindled to an insignificant distance.

The men in blue bared their teeth, and the whites of their eyes shone. They lunged as if going for the throats of those resisting them. The gap between them shrank to almost nothing.

The youth had centered the gaze of his soul upon that other flag. Its possession would be high pride. It would express bloody minglings, near blows. He had a gigantic hatred for those who made great difficulties and complications. They caused it to be as a craved treasure of mythology, hung amid tasks and contrivances of danger.

The youth had fixed his heart and soul on the other flag. Taking it would fill him with pride. It would stand for bloody clashes and close combat. He felt a huge hatred for those who made the flag so hard to capture. They made it seem like a coveted treasure from a myth, surrounded by dangerous challenges and traps.

He plunged like a mad horse at it. He was resolved it should not escape if wild blows and darings of blows could seize it. His own emblem, quivering and aflare, was winging toward the other. It seemed there would shortly be an encounter of strange beaks and claws, as of eagles.

He charged at it like a mad horse. He was determined not to let it escape if wild blows and brave risks could capture it. His own flag, trembling and blazing, flew toward the other. It seemed their strange beaks and claws would soon clash, like those of eagles.

The swirling body of blue men came to a sudden halt at close and disastrous range and roared a swift volley. The group in gray was split and broken by this fire, but its riddled body still fought. The men in blue yelled again and rushed in upon it.

The swirling mass of men in blue suddenly stopped at dangerously close range and fired a roaring volley. The gunfire split and broke the group in gray, but the bullet-riddled group kept fighting. The men in blue yelled again and charged at them.

The youth, in his leapings, saw, as through a mist, a picture of four or five men stretched upon the ground or writhing upon their knees with bowed heads as if they had been stricken by bolts from the sky. Tottering among them was the rival color bearer, whom the youth saw had been bitten vitally by the bullets of the last formidable volley. He perceived this man fighting a last struggle, the struggle of one whose legs are grasped by demons. It was a ghastly battle. Over his face was the bleach of death, but set upon it was the dark and hard lines of desperate purpose. With this terrible grin of resolution he hugged his precious flag to him and was stumbling and staggering in his design to go the way that led to safety for it.

As the youth leaped forward, he saw, as if through a mist, four or five men on the ground. Some lay stretched out, while others writhed on their knees with their heads bowed. They looked as if they had been struck by lightning. The enemy flag bearer was tottering among them. The youth saw that the bullets from the last terrible volley had wounded him fatally. The man was fighting a final struggle, like someone whose legs were gripped by demons. It was a ghastly battle. His face was pale with death, but it bore the dark, hard lines of desperate determination. Wearing that terrible grin of resolve, he hugged his precious flag to himself. He stumbled and staggered as he tried to carry it to safety.

But his wounds always made it seem that his feet were retarded, held, and he fought a grim fight, as with invisible ghouls fastened greedily upon his limbs. Those in advance of the scampering blue men, howling cheers, leaped at the fence. The despair of the lost was in his eyes as he glanced back at them.

But his wounds always made it seem as if his feet were slowed and held back. He struggled desperately, as if invisible ghouls were clinging greedily to his limbs. The men in front of the running blue-clad soldiers leaped at the fence, shouting cheers. As he glanced back at them, his eyes held the despair of someone who was lost.

The youth’s friend went over the obstruction in a tumbling heap and sprang at the flag as a panther at prey. He pulled at it and, wrenching it free, swung up its red brilliancy with a mad cry of exultation even as the color bearer, gasping, lurched over in a final throe and, stiffening convulsively, turned his dead face to the ground. There was much blood upon the grass blades.

The youth’s friend tumbled over the obstruction and sprang at the flag like a panther at its prey. He pulled the flag free and raised its brilliant red cloth with a wild cry of triumph. Just then, the color bearer gasped and lurched over in a final spasm. His body stiffened convulsively, and his dead face turned toward the ground. There was a lot of blood on the blades of grass.

At the place of success there began more wild clamorings of cheers. The men gesticulated and bellowed in an ecstasy. When they spoke it was as if they considered their listener to be a mile away. What hats and caps were left to them they often slung high in the air.

At the place where they had succeeded, more wild cheers broke out. The men waved their arms and shouted in joy. When they spoke, it was as if they thought the person listening was a mile away. They often tossed whatever hats and caps they had left high into the air.

At one part of the line four men had been swooped upon, and they now sat as prisoners. Some blue men were about them in an eager and curious circle. The soldiers had trapped strange birds, and there was an examination. A flurry of fast questions was in the air.

At one point along the line, four men had been seized and now sat as prisoners. Some men in blue gathered around them in an eager, curious circle. The soldiers had trapped strange birds and were examining them. Questions came in a quick flurry.

One of the prisoners was nursing a superficial wound in the foot. He cuddled it, baby-wise, but he looked up from it often to curse with an astonishing utter abandon straight at the noses of his captors. He consigned them to red regions; he called upon the pestilential wrath of strange gods. And with it all he was singularly free from recognition of the finer points of the conduct of prisoners of war. It was as if a clumsy clod had trod upon his toe and he conceived it to be his privilege, his duty, to use deep, resentful oaths.

One prisoner was tending a minor wound in his foot. He cradled his foot like a baby, but often looked up to curse his captors directly in their faces. He cursed them with astonishing abandon. He sent them to hell and called on strange gods to strike them with disease. All the while, he seemed remarkably unaware of the finer points of how prisoners of war should behave. It was as if some clumsy oaf had stepped on his toe. He seemed to think he had not only the right but the duty to let loose a stream of bitter curses.

Another, who was a boy in years, took his plight with great calmness and apparent good nature. He conversed with the men in blue, studying their faces with his bright and keen eyes. They spoke of battles and conditions. There was an acute interest in all their faces during this exchange of view points. It seemed a great satisfaction to hear voices from where all had been darkness and speculation.

Another, who was still a boy, faced his situation calmly and with apparent good nature. He talked with the men in blue, studying their faces with bright, sharp eyes. They talked about battles and conditions. Everyone looked intensely interested as they exchanged views. It seemed deeply satisfying to hear voices from a place that had been all darkness and speculation.

The third captive sat with a morose countenance. He preserved a stoical and cold attitude. To all advances he made one reply without variation, “Ah, go t’ hell!”

The third captive sat with a gloomy expression. He remained stoic and cold. He gave the same reply to every attempt to engage him: “Ah, go to hell!”

The last of the four was always silent and, for the most part, kept his face turned in unmolested directions. From the views the youth received he seemed to be in a state of absolute dejection. Shame was upon him, and with it profound regret that he was, perhaps, no more to be counted in the ranks of his fellows. The youth could detect no expression that would allow him to believe that the other was giving a thought to his narrowed future, the pictured dungeons, perhaps, and starvations and brutalities, liable to the imagination. All to be seen was shame for captivity and regret for the right to antagonize.

The last of the four was always silent and mostly kept his face turned away from disturbance. From what the youth could see, the man seemed completely dejected. He was ashamed and deeply sorry that he might no longer be counted among his comrades. The youth saw nothing in his expression to suggest that he was thinking about his limited future. He seemed not to be imagining the dungeons, starvation, and brutality that might await him. All the youth could see was shame at being captured and regret at losing the right to fight.

After the men had celebrated sufficiently they settled down behind the old rail fence, on the opposite side to the one from which their foes had been driven. A few shot perfunctorily at distant marks.

After the men had celebrated enough, they settled down behind the old rail fence. They were on the opposite side from where their enemies had been driven. A few fired halfheartedly at distant targets.

There was some long grass. The youth nestled in it and rested, making a convenient rail support the flag. His friend, jubilant and glorified, holding his treasure with vanity, came to him there. They sat side by side and congratulated each other.

There was some long grass. The young man settled into it and rested, propping the flag against a nearby rail. His friend came over, thrilled and proud, holding his prize for all to see. They sat side by side and congratulated each other.