Soldier's Heart Read Online Free PDF Page A

know as much as a slick-eared calf.”
    Nelson stopped working on his rifle. “Well, ain’t you one to take on airs? I guess I know enough—I know all I’ll need.”
    Charley began to say more but instead just shook his head and walked away, looking for some cartridges to fill his box.
    It started the same way again, this third time. The officers dismounted and moved to the front with their sabers, the sergeants just to their rear screaming at the men.
    â€œAll right! Form on me! Line-of-battle here!”
    Charley stepped forward with the rest. He did not think of fear, did not think of what would happen, what he
knew
would happen. He stepped forward in line, checked the cap on his rifle and fixed his bayonet, and when they ordered, he started walking across the field with the rest of the men.
    â€œLord …”
    There was no sound except for the clink of metal against metal on their shoulder straps, and Charley heard Nelson’s voice whispering next to him.
    â€œLord, there they are, right there. See them?”
    Charley said nothing but Nelson was right. He too could see the Rebel soldiers. This time they were not behind earthworks but were forming in ranks in front of the trees, just as the Union soldiers had done.
    â€œThey’re going to come at us,” Nelson said. “They’re forming to attack us.”
    And even as he said it the Rebel soldiers began to scream and run forward at them. There was still no firing—the distance was too great—but the scream could easily be heard. It was the first time Charley was to hear the Rebel yell and for a moment it frightened him, but everything had to be compared and he thought of the fright of the first day, first battle, and the yell was nothing.
    This was not a line of earthworks, with shells coming from cannons. This was not a hidden line of fire and death.
    These were men, only men, no matter the yelling, and as the Rebels came running toward them the Union officers stopped the marching soldiers.
    â€œPresent arms!”
    Charley raised his rifle.
    â€œReady—aim low, aim at their legs—
fire!
”
    The men fired as one and the front rank of advancing Rebels went down.
    â€œReload and fire at will!”
    Charley bit a cartridge without taking his eyes off the Rebels. They were still coming, but slower, the charge broken by the first volley, and he reloaded and fired four times, each time aiming low, and was reloading the fifth time when an officer to his front raised his saber.
    â€œAt them, men!” he screamed. “Give them steel!”
    He started running at the confused Confederate line, and the Union soldiers followed, bayonets extended to the front.
    Where’s your yell now? Charley thought, and then realized that he was screaming it. “Where’s your damn yell now?”
    The Confederates started to hold, tried to stand. They fired once at the charging Union soldiers and out of the corner of his eye Charleysaw men fall. But five smashing volleys of accurate fire had demoralized the Rebels, cut their numbers at least in half, and when they saw the blue line coming at them through the powder smoke, saw the glint of the bayonets, it was more than they could stand and they turned and ran.
    â€œLook—they’re showing tail,” a man next to Charley yelled as they ran, and Charley glanced at him, surprised. Nelson had been there. Cocky Nelson. He was nowhere to be seen and Charley hadn’t seen him get hit, hadn’t seen him fall. Charley ran on.
    Some men slowed, satisfied that they’d won the fight, but Charley couldn’t stop running and soon found himself in front of the line. He would have been shocked to see himself. His lips were drawn back showing his teeth, and his face was contorted by a savage rage.
    He wanted to kill them. He wanted to catch them and run his bayonet through them andkill them. All of them. Stick and jab and shoot them and murder