The belt of woodland was very narrow; already the men could see sunlight on the farther edge, and catch glimpses of fields; and still they ran forward, keeping their alignment as best they might among the trees; and came, very soon, to the wood’s edge.  Here they were halted and ordered to lie down again; and they lay there, close to the ground among the dead leaves, while from above living leaves rained on them in never-ending showers, and the wild tempest sped overhead unchecked.

Far out across the fields in the sunshine, looking diminutive as toys in the distance, four cannon puffed smoke toward them.  The Zouaves could see the guns—­see even the limbers and caissons behind, and the harnessed teams, and the cannoneers very busily at work in the sunshine.  Then a long low wall of white smoke suddenly appeared along a rail fence in front of the guns, and at the same time the air thickened with bullets storming in all about them.

The Colonel and the Major had run hastily out into the field.  “Get up!  Get up!” shouted the company officers.  “Left dress, there!  Forward!  Don’t cock your rifles; don’t fire until you’re told to.  Steady there on the left.  Forward!  Forward!”

“Now yell, you red-legs!  Yell!”

As they started running, their regimental colours fell, man and nag sprawling in the grass; and the entire line halted, bewildered.  The next instant a zouave had lifted the colours, and was running forward; and:  “Get on there!  Continue the movement!  What in hell’s the matter with you Zouaves!” shouted their lieutenant-colonel.  And the sagging scarlet line bellied out, straightened as the flanks caught up, and swept out into the sunshine with a cheer—­the peculiar Zouave cheer—­not very full yet, for they had not yet lost the troubled wonder of things.

Stephen, running with shouldered musket, saw close ahead a long line of blue smoke and flame, but instead of the enemy there was nothing hidden behind the smoke except a long field-ditch in which dry brush was burning.

Into the ditch tumbled the regiment, and lay panting, coughing, kicking out the embers, and hugging the ground closely, because now the storm that had swept the tree tops was shaving the weeds and grass around them; and the drone of bullets streaming over the ditch rose to a loud, fierce whine.

Up in the blue sky little white clouds suddenly unfolded themselves with light reports, and disappeared, leaving jagged streamers of vapour afloat here and there; the near jarring discharge of artillery shook the ground till bits of sod fell in particles, crumbling from the ditch’s edge; the outrageous racket of musketry never slackened.

Lying there, they heard a sudden burst of cheering, and far to the left saw another regiment come tumbling into the ditch and crouch, huddled there in a blue line stretching as far away as they could see.  And again the firing increased to a stunning roar, and there were more cheers; and, to their right, another regiment came running and rolling into the ditch.