The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Volume 01Bierce, Ambrose
General
The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Volume 01
Bierce, Ambrose
Fiction
Unable to find my brigade, I reported to General Thomas, who directed me
to remain with him. He had assumed command of all the forces still intact
and was pretty closely beset. The battle was fierce and continuous, the
enemy extending his lines farther and farther around our right, toward our
line of retreat. We could not meet the extension otherwise than by
"refusing" our right flank and letting him inclose us; which but for
gallant Gordon Granger he would inevitably have done.
This was the way of it. Looking across the fields in our rear (rather
longingly) I had the happy distinction of a discoverer. What I saw was the
shimmer of sunlight on metal: lines of troops were coming in behind us!
The distance was too great, the atmosphere too hazy to distinguish the
color of their uniform, even with a glass. Reporting my momentous "find" I
was directed by the general to go and see who they were. Galloping toward
them until near enough to see that they were of our kidney I hastened back
with the glad tidings and was sent again, to guide them to the general's
position.
It was General Granger with two strong brigades of the reserve, moving
soldier-like toward the sound of heavy firing. Meeting him and his staff I
directed him to Thomas, and unable to think of anything better to do
decided to go visiting. I knew I had a brother in that gang--an officer of
an Ohio battery. I soon found him near the head of a column, and as we
moved forward we had a comfortable chat amongst such of the enemy's
bullets as had inconsiderately been fired too high. The incident was a
trifle marred by one of them unhorsing another officer of the battery,
whom we propped against a tree and left. A few moments later Granger's
force was put in on the right and the fighting was terrific!
By accident I now found Hazen's brigade--or what remained of it--which had
made a half-mile march to add itself to the unrouted at the memorable
Snodgrass Hill. Hazen's first remark to me was an inquiry about that
artillery ammunition that he had sent me for.
It was needed badly enough, as were other kinds: for the last hour or two
of that interminable day Granger's were the only men that had enough
ammunition to make a five minutes' fight. Had the Confederates made one
more general attack we should have had to meet them with the bayonet
alone. I don't know why they did not; probably they were short of
ammunition. I know, though, that while the sun was taking its own time to
set we lived through the agony of at least one death each, waiting for
them to come on.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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