LIEUT. Bowersox, Si, Shorty and the recruits left the woods and entered a large clearing, in the midst of which was a log cabin, with a few rude outbuildings. Over it flew the yellow flag of the hospital service, and beyond could be seen the parked trains and other evidences of the line-of-battle.
The roar of the battle would have told them as much, for it was now deafening2. The earth seemed to throb3 and the trees shake with the awful shocks. As they passed the hospital they saw a grewsome pile of amputated legs and arms, while the ground around about was filled with wounded, whose groans4 pierced through the roar of battle.
James Bradshaw and Simeon Wheelwright, the two tall, stalwart men who had stood on the right and who had shown great coolness during the fight, gave one look at the dismembered limbs, turned pale as death, gasped5, and fell in a faint.
"Forward! Can't stop to pay attention to them," commanded the Lieutenant6, in whom the battle-fever was burning.
Though still more than two miles from the low crest7 of Snodgrass Hill, where Gen. Thomas, with the remainder of the Army of the Cumberland, was standing8 savagely10 at bay against the fierce assaults of Bragg's and Longstreet's overwhelming numbers, they were soon in the midst of the wild ruck and confusion of the rear of a great battle. Miles of wagons11 were being urged hither and yon, some times in accordance with intelligent orders by officers, more often from the panicky fears of wagon-masters and teamsters; riderless horses with saddles under their bellies12 were galloping13 frantically14 around; squads15 of artillerymen in search of ammunition17 were storming about, cursing cowardly teamsters, whom they could not find; streams of wounded men were trying to make their way to the hospitals; officers were yelling and swearing in their attempts to rally shirks and cowards who had fled from the front; men from regiments18 which had been broken and scattered20 by the fierce assaults were trying to find their colors; Colonels whose regiments had been ordered up from the rear were fiercely forcing their way forward, with many dire21 objurgations on all who impeded22 their progress.
It was a scene to discourage any but the stoutest23 heart, yet it only wrought24 up the boys to greater eagerness to get through to the firing-line.
The smoke-crowned crest of Snodgrass Hill was seen but half a mile away. They could make out the ragged25, irregular line of blue constantly vailing itself in sulphurous vapor26 as it poured murderous volleys into the enemy. The shrill27 yell of the rebels as they renewed the charge, and the deep-toned cheer of the union soldiers as they repulsed28 it, reached their ears in the momentary29 lulls30 of the firing.
So far, in spite of all deterrents31, they had brought every man through except the two who had fainted at the hospital. Everyone had shown true metal. Little Abel Waite had particularly distinguished32 him self by skillful dodging33 under wagons and past flanks, in order to keep up with the swift pace of the longer-legged men.
They had as yet found no one in all the throng34 to give them the least information as to their regiment19, when Si spied a member of Co. Q walking deliberately36 back, holding the wrist of his shattered left hand in his right, with his fingers compressing the artery37 to restrain the flow of blood.
"There's Silas Peckham," exclaimed Si, running up to him. "Badly hurt, Sile?"
"No," answered Silas, more coolly than if he had stubbed his toe. "Left hand's gone on a strike. That's all. Wisht I could find a doctor to fix it up so I could git back to the boys. They're havin' an awful tussle38 up there, an' need me bad. Better hurry up, Si. Don't waste no time on me. I'll find a doctor soon an' be back with you."
"Where's the regiment, Sile?" asked the Lieutenant.
"Right up there to the left o' them tall hickories," answered Silas, pointing with his bloody39 hand. "To the right o' that battery, you see there. That's our bully40 old battery at work. Greatest battery in the army. I've kept my eye on the place, because I want to git back as soon's I kin35 find the Surgeon. Ain't much left o' the regiment, or battery either, for that matter; but they're raisin41' hell with the Johnnies every time, and don't you forgit it. Capt. McGillicuddy's in command."
"Capt. McGillicuddy?" said the Lieutenant. "Why, he's the junior Captain in the regiment."
"He was yisterday mornin', but he's now senior to everybody that's alive," answered Silas. "The Kunnel wuz killed yisterday forenoon. The Lootenant-Kunnell held out about three hours an' then he got it for keeps, an' the Major tuck command an' stuck out till nigh evenin', when they knocked him.
"This mornin' the Captains 's bin1 going down so fast that I couldn't keep track of 'em, till Capt. McGillicuddy was the only one left, an' he's swearin' that the rebels never run no bullet that could hit him. The Adjutant's acting42 Lootenant-Kunnel an' Major both to-wunst, and shootin' a gun when he hain't nothin' else to do. But the boys that's left 's stayers, I tell you. They've jest stuck their toenails into that hilltop there, an' every time them howlin' rebels come yippin' an' ki-yi-in' out o' the woods they send 'em back on the dead run. But they want you up there bad. You've got more than's left in the regiment. Hurry up. I'll be back with you jest as soon's I kin find a doctor to cooper me up a little."
"Forward Quick time March!" shouted the Lieutenant. "Guide on those tall hickories."
Onward43 they rushed full into the smoke that drifted backward down the hill. As they gained the crest the air became clearer, and they saw the sadly-shrunken remnant of their regiment strung in an irregular line along the forward edge. Some were binding44 up wounds more or less severe, some were searching the boxes of the dead and wounded for cartridges45, some were leaning on their hot guns, looking curiously46 into the woods at the foot of the slope into which the rebels had fled.
Every face was blackened with powder almost beyond recognition. The artillerymen to the left were feverishly47 swabbing out their guns and trying to cool them off, and bringing up everything in the shape of ammunition from the limbers in the rear.
Capt. McGillicuddy was leaning on his sword at the right of the line, intently watching everything. He looked sharply around, when the men raised a cheer on recognizing Si and the rest, and coming back shook Lieut. Bowersox warmly by the hand, saying:
"Great God, Lieutenant, I've always been glad to see you, but I never was so glad to see a man in my life as I am you this minute. How many men did you bring?"
"I've got 128 with me," answered the Lieutenant. "What's the situation?"
"You have? Well, you've got more than we have left. You'll act as Major. Poor Wilkinson just got his dose. You can see him lying down there in the rear of the left. Put your men in anywhere. Mix them up with the others.. It don't matter much about formation. The main thing's to stand and shoot. The rebels have been charging us all after noon, but we have whipped them back every time.
"You can see our work out there (pointing to the slope in front, which was literally48 covered with dead and wounded). I've thought every time that they couldn't stand another such a slaughter49, but they've rallied in those woods there and come out again with their infernal yell, just as before. The last time it seemed to me that we just swept them off the face of the earth, and I don't see how in God's name they can stand any more of that sort of thing. It's worse killing50 than we gave them at Stone River. It seems to me that hell has let out for noon, and sent all its devils to reinforce them. But it will soon be night now, when they'll have to stop. If they won't we'll have to depend on the bayonet, for we haven't five rounds apiece left, and I can't get more anywhere."
Si and Shorty had been distributing the detachment along the line, and had posted the Englishman and his squad16 of Irishmen, with themselves, around the tattered51 colors, which were now in the hands of the last survivor52 of the color guard, who was himself wounded.
Dusk was fast coming on, when the woods beyond the foot of the slope began to darken again with masses of men arraying in column of assault.
"They're coming again," called out Capt. McGillicuddy. "Lieut. Bowersox, look out there for the left. Men, if we haven't stopped them when we've fired out last shot, we'll fix bayonets and charge them. We must keep them off this hill or die right here."
He was answered with cheers. A demoniac yell from 10,000 fierce throats rang through the woods, and the next instant thunder and flames burst from the sweeping53 crescent of rebel cannon54, and the ground in front of the foot of the hill was hidden from view by the tide of men rushing over it.
A fierce storm of cannon and musketry answered from the crest of the hill. As they reloaded, Si and Shorty saw in quick glances that the rebel line to the right and left seemed beaten to a standstill by the terrific storm which fell upon them, but in their immediate56 front a body of men, apparently57 a regiment, kept stubbornly forging forward. Upon their flag, held gallantly59 aloft, could be made out the let ters "Miss."
By the time every shot in the cartridge-boxes had been fired at them they had forced their way half-up the slope.
"Attention, 200th Indiana," shouted Capt. McGillicuddy. "Dress on the colors. Fix bayonets."
"They'uns 's Injiannians," shouted the rebel Color-Sergeant, waving his flag defiantly60. "Come on, you Hoosiers. We'uns 's Mississippians. Remember Buny Visty. Injiannians 's cowards."
"Shorty, le's have that 'ere flag," said Si.
"Le's," said Shorty, pushing around the ring that locked his bayonet on.
"Forward March Charge!" shouted Capt. McGillicuddy.
They Had a Delirious61 Remembrance of the Mad Whirl. 211
Of the mad whirl of an eternity62 of events in the next few minutes neither Si nor Shorty had anything but a delirious remembrance. They could only recollect63 the fierce rush of the lightning-like play of bayonet and gun-barrel in the storm-center around the rebel colors. Each after an instant's savage9 fencing had sent his bayonet home in his opponent's body. Si had sprung at and seized the rebel colors, only to fall, as he grasped them, from a bullet out of the revolver of a rebel Captain, whom Shorty instantly bayoneted, and fell himself from a blow across the head with a musket55-barrel.
The man who struck him was bayoneted by Abel Waite, who was dancing around the edges of the melee64 like a malignant65 little fiend, prodding66 wherever he could get a chance at a rebel body. The Irishmen, yelling like demons67, were using their guns like shilelahs, and crushing heads in every direction, while Wat Burnham had thrown his musket aside, and was rushing at everybody with his mighty68 fists.
At length the rebels fled, leaving the Indianians in possession of their colors and the hillside.
"Some of you find Lieut. Bowersox, and bring him here," said Capt. McGillicuddy, sitting up, and beginning to twist a handkerchief around his thigh69, to form a tourniquet70. "Lieutenant, you all right?"
"Nothing more than a mere71 scratch on the side of my head," said the Lieutenant, wiping away the blood.
"Well, Lieutenant, you'll have to take command of the regiment. I had a personal altercation72 with that Mississippi Colonel lying over there, and he put a bullet through my thigh. Get the men together, pick up our wounded, and fall back to the top of the hill again."
"I'm afraid there's no use of picking up Corp'l Klegg and Shorty," said the Lieutenant, with tears in his eyes. "They got the rebel flag, but they're lying there stiff and cold."
"Well, bring them back, anyway, so we can lay them beside the other gallant58 boys who have fallen to-day."
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收听单词发音
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1
bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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deafening
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| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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throb
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| v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动 | |
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groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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11
wagons
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| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
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12
bellies
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| n.肚子( belly的名词复数 )；腹部；（物体的）圆形或凸起部份；腹部…形的 | |
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13
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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squads
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| n.（军队中的）班( squad的名词复数 )；（暗杀）小组；体育运动的运动（代表）队；（对付某类犯罪活动的）警察队伍 | |
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squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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regiments
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| （军队的）团( regiment的名词复数 )； 大量的人或物 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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dire
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| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
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impeded
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| 阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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stoutest
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| 粗壮的( stout的最高级 )； 结实的； 坚固的； 坚定的 | |
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24
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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vapor
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| n.蒸汽，雾气 | |
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27
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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28
repulsed
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| v.击退( repulse的过去式和过去分词 )；驳斥；拒绝 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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30
lulls
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| n.间歇期（lull的复数形式）vt.使镇静，使安静（lull的第三人称单数形式） | |
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31
deterrents
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| 制止物( deterrent的名词复数 ) | |
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32
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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33
dodging
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| n.避开，闪过，音调改变v.闪躲( dodge的现在分词 )；回避 | |
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34
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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35
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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36
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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37
artery
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| n.干线，要道；动脉 | |
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38
tussle
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| n.&v.扭打，搏斗，争辩 | |
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39
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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40
bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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41
raisin
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| n.葡萄干 | |
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42
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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43
onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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44
binding
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| 有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的 | |
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45
cartridges
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| 子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头 | |
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46
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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47
feverishly
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| adv. 兴奋地 | |
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48
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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49
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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50
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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51
tattered
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| adj.破旧的，衣衫破的 | |
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52
survivor
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| n.生存者，残存者，幸存者 | |
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53
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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54
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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55
musket
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| n.滑膛枪 | |
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56
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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57
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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58
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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60
defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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61
delirious
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| adj.不省人事的，神智昏迷的 | |
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62
eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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63
recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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64
melee
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| n.混战；混战的人群 | |
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65
malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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66
prodding
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| v.刺，戳( prod的现在分词 )；刺激；促使；（用手指或尖物）戳 | |
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67
demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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68
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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69
thigh
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| n.大腿；股骨 | |
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70
tourniquet
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| n.止血器，绞压器，驱血带 | |
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71
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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72
altercation
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| n.争吵，争论 | |
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