Probably there was some Yankee
cheering, as doubtless there had been the "rebel yell," but my memory
recalls neither. There are many battles in a war, and many incidents in a
battle: one does not recollect everything. Possibly I have not a retentive
ear.
While this lively work had been doing in the center, there had been no
lack of diligence elsewhere, and now all were as busy as bees. I have read
of many "successive attacks"--"charge after charge"--but I think the only
assaults after the first were those of the second Confederate lines and
possibly some of the reserves; certainly there were no visible abatement
and renewal of effort anywhere except where the men who had been pushed
out of the works backward tried to reenter. And all the time there was
fighting.
After resetting their line the victors could not clear their front, for
the baffled assailants would not desist. All over the open country in
their rear, clear back to the base of the hills, drifted the wreck of
battle, the wounded that were able to walk; and through the receding
throng pushed forward, here and there, horsemen with orders and footmen
whom we knew to be bearing ammunition. There were no wagons, no caissons:
the enemy was not using, and could not use, his artillery. Along the line
of fire we could see, dimly in the smoke, mounted officers, singly and in
small groups, attempting to force their horses across the slight parapet,
but all went down. Of this devoted band was the gallant General Adams,
whose body was found upon the slope, and whose animal's forefeet were
actually inside the crest.
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