A bullet had
clipped a groove in his skull, above the temple; from this the brain
protruded in bosses, dropping off in flakes and strings. I had not
previously known one could get on, even in this unsatisfactory fashion,
with so little brain. One of my men, whom I knew for a womanish fellow,
asked if he should put his bayonet through him. Inexpressibly shocked by
the cold-blooded proposal, I told him I thought not; it was unusual, and
too many were looking.
VIII
It was plain that the enemy had retreated to Corinth. The arrival of our
fresh troops and their successful passage of the river had disheartened
him. Three or four of his gray cavalry videttes moving amongst the trees
on the crest of a hill in our front, and galloping out of sight at the
crack of our skirmishers' rifles, confirmed us in the belief; an army face
to face with its enemy does not employ cavalry to watch its front. True,
they might be a general and his staff. Crowning this rise we found a level
field, a quarter of a mile in width; beyond it a gentle acclivity, covered
with an undergrowth of young oaks, impervious to sight. We pushed on into
the open, but the division halted at the edge. Having orders to conform to
its movements, we halted too; but that did not suit; we received an
intimation to proceed. I had performed this sort of service before, and in
the exercise of my discretion deployed my platoon, pushing it forward at a
run, with trailed arms, to strengthen the skirmish line, which I overtook
some thirty or forty yards from the wood.
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