Miss Ravenel's conversion from secession to loyaltyDe Forest, John William
History
Miss Ravenel's conversion from secession to loyalty
De Forest, John William
Historical fiction; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction; War stories; Women -- United States -- Fiction
The Doctor was quite astonished to find that there were a number of
wounded; for having escaped unhurt himself, he concluded that every one
else had been equally lucky, excepting, of course, the man who lay dead
in the gulley. As he laid down his gun he heard a groaning in one
corner, and went softly towards it, expecting to find one of the victims
of the conflict. Lifting up one end of a blanket, and lighting a match
to dispel the dimness, he beheld the prostrate Gazaway, his face beaded
with the perspiration of heat and terror.
"Oh!" said the Doctor, with perhaps the merest twang of contempt in the
exclamation.
"My God, Doctor!" groaned the Major. "I tell you I'm a sick man. I've
got the most awful bilious colic that ever a feller had. If you can give
me something, do, for God's sake!"
"Presently," answered Ravenel, and paid no more attention to him.
"If I could have discharged my gun," he afterwards said, in relating the
circumstance, "I should have been tempted to rid him of his bilious
colic by a surgical operation."
The floor of the little building was soon cumbered with half a dozen
injured men, and dampened with their blood. The Doctor had no
instruments, but he could probe with his finger and dress with wet
bandages. Lillie aided him, pale at the sight of blood and suffering,
but resolute to do what she could. When Colburne looked in for a moment,
she nodded to him with a sweet smile, which was meant to thank him for
having defended her.
"I am glad to see you at this work," he said. "There will be more of
it."
"What! More fighting!" exclaimed the Doctor, looking up from a shattered
finger.
"Oh yes. We mustn't hope that they will be satisfied with one assault.
There is a supporting column, of course; and it will come on soon. But
do you stay here, whatever happens. You will be of most use here."
He had scarcely disappeared when the whole air became horribly vocal,
as, with a long-drawn, screaming battle-yell, the second brigade of
Texans moved to the assault, and the "thunders of fort and fleet"
replied. Taking the same direction as before, but pushing forward with
superior solidity and energy, the living wave swept up to the
fortifications, howled along the course of the ditch, and surged
clamorously against the palisade. Colburne was there with half the other
officers and half the strength of the garrison, silent for the most
part, but fighting desperately. Suddenly there was a shout of, "Back!
back! They are coming round the palisade."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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