27 The Second Attack

CHAPTER 27 The Second Attack When the enemy again began to charge from the woods, Henry felt completely sure of himself. While others ducked and dodged, he stood tall and calm. He watched as the attack began against a part of his army that was on the side of a nearby hill. In another part of the field, two other troops were fighting hard and fast. They seemed to be ignoring the other battles going on around them. In another direction, he saw a wonderful group on horseback going into the woods.

They passed out of sight and soon there was a loud and shocking noise. Henry watched the small battles, which went on for some time. The troops struck fiercely and powerfully at each other. He could see the flags shaking in the smoke. Soon everything became still again. The hush was serious and churchlike. Suddenly the guns on a nearby slope roared out. The sound of gunfire had begun in the woods. It grew with amazing speed until it was unbelievably loud. Henry could hear nothing else. Men were rushing back and forth everywhere he looked. Sometimes the men from one army would yell and cheer, but a moment later the other side would cheer just as much. Everywhere, the men screamed and yelled. Henry's small troop charged forward just as fiercely as ever when their time came. The

men burst out in a cry of rage and pain when the enemy shot at them. The front of Henry's troop was a wall of smoke. They could see only the flashing points of yellow and red gunfire. The men quickly became covered in dirt and grime. The lieutenant continued to yell and scream at his men to keep them fighting. Henry still carried the flag. He tried to see all he could. Sometimes he flinched or talked to himself. Sometimes he did not even know if he was breathing. He was so busy watching the battles. A big line of enemy soldiers came within dangerous range. They could be seen easily. They were tall, skinny men with excited faces, and they ran with long strides. At this sight, Henry's troop fell silent for a moment before they began shooting. They hadn't even been ordered to start firing. They just started as soon as they realized the danger

they were in. But the enemy was quick to take cover behind a fence. Once there, they began firing back at Henry's troop, which prepared itself for a great struggle. White clenched teeth shone from the dirty faces. The enemy often shouted and tried to insult them, but Henry's troop remained silent. Perhaps they were remembering the general's insult, which made them fight even harder. Henry had decided not to move, whatever should happen. He wanted revenge on the officer who had called them mule drivers and failures. The best revenge he could think of was to stay there until the enemy was beaten. He would show everyone how brave he was.

The troop was hurt badly, and many men fell. Some of the wounded crawled away from the battle, but many lay still. Henry looked for and found Wilson, who was still fighting. The lieutenant was also unhurt. He had continued to yell at the men, but it was different now. They were firing less and less, and the lieutenant's voice was quickly growing weak.