[A] The first battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861.
"Then came the order--_'Forward, double quick!'_
And we rushed into battle--formed our line
Facing the foe--the ambushed, deadly foe,
Hid in the thicket, with the Union flag--
A cheat--hung out before it--luring us
Into a blazing hell. The battle broke
With wildest fury on us--crashed and roared
The rolling thunder of continuous fire.
We broke and rallied--charged and broke again,
And rallied still--broke counter-charge and charged
Loud-yelling, furious, on the hidden foe;--
Met thrice our numbers and came flying back
Disordered and disheartened. Yet again
I strove to rally my discouraged men,
But hell was fairly howling;--only Paul--
Eager, but bleeding from a bullet-wound
In the left arm--came bounding to my side.
But at that moment I was struck and fell--
Fell prostrate; and a swooning sense of death
Came on me, and I saw and heard no more
Of battle on that Sabbath.
"I awoke,
Confined and jolted in an ambulance
Piled with the wounded--driven recklessly
By one who chiefly cared to save himself.
Dizzy and faint I raised my head: my wound
Was not as dangerous as it might have been--
A scalp-wound on the temple; there, you see--"
He put his finger on the ugly scar--
"Half an inch deeper and some soldier friend,
Among the veterans gathered here to-night,
Perchance had told a briefer tale than mine.
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