The Red Badge of Courage: An Episode of the American Civil War

rutinizing his person in a dazed way as if he had never before seen himself. Then he picked up his cap from the ground. He wri

rial had been passed. The red, formidable

sensations of his life. Standing as if apart from himself, he viewed that

even with those ideals which he had considered a

Gee! ain't it hot, hey?" he said affably to a man who

mb hotness." He sprawled out luxuriously on the ground. "Gee, yes!

es were familiar, but with whom the youth now felt the bonds of tied

the new regiment. "Here they come ag'in! Here they come ag'in!" Th

rned forms begin to swell in masses out of a distant

swirling again, and exploded in the grass or among the leaves of the t

dejection. They moved their stiffened bodies slowly, and watched in sullen mood the frantic approach

"Oh, say, this is too much of a good thi

second banging. I didn't come here

d on my hand, insteader me treddin' on his'n." The sore joints of the

not about to happen. He waited as if he expected the enemy to su

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

ng with nervous weakness and the muscles of his arms felt numb and bloodless. His hands, too, seemed large

m. "Oh, say, this is too much of a good thing! What do they take us for-why don

ling from exhaustion, he was astonished beyond measure at such persistency. They must be machines of

ring cluster. He stopped then and began to peer as best he could through the smoke. He caught c

lost his legs at the approach of the red and green monster. He waited in a sort of

f 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

ed his head, shaken from his trance by this movement as if the

e great clamor, he was like a proverbial chicken. He lost the d

oned coat bulged in the wind. The flap of his cartridge box bobbed wildly, and his canteen, by its

saw him make a dab with his sword. His one thought of the incident was that the lieu

e fell down. Once he knocked his shoulder so

s 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 bette

nd on his left, and he heard footsteps behind him. He thought tha

make a first choice of the men who were nearest; the initial morsels for the dragons would be then those who were fol

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

ending annihilation. The battery was disputing with a distant antagonist and the gunners were wrapped in admiration of their shooting. They were continually bending

stile battery addressed them. The youth pitied them as he ran. Methodical idiots! Machine-like fools! The refined joy of planting

ndon of temper he might display in a placid barnyard, was impressed deeply

he guns, standing, six go

and watched it sweeping finely, keeping formation in difficult places. The blue of the li

gulped into the infernal mouths of the war god. What manner of men were they, a

. The teams went swinging up from the rear, the guns were whirled about, and the battery scampered away. The cannon w

ting his pace since he ha

erested way at the battle. There was a great gleaming of yellow and patent leather about the

unded by horsemen and at other times he was quite alone. He looked to be much hara

unable to comprehend chaos, might call upon him for information. And he could tell him. He knew all concerning it. Of

exactly what he thought him to be. It was criminal to stay calmly in one spot and make no effort

ell him not t' be in such an all-fired hurry; tell him t' halt his brigade in th' edge of th' woods; tell h

mouth of his superior. He made his horse bound into a gallop almost fr

saw the general bounce

orward. His face was aflame with excitement. "Yes,

now. We 've got 'em sure." He turned suddenly upon an aid: "Here-you-Jones-quick-r

neral beamed upon the earth like a sun. In his eyes was a desire to

he merrily kicked and swore at it. He he