A Summer Night's Dream
The end of the dream
This is the sixteenth post in a multi-part series. To find previous installments and those that follow, please consult the following guide.
Suddenly I heard a stentorian voice. It was my friend Hallen’s, hurrying up from the rear. ‘Close!’ He thundered at the men, who were streaming back. He twisted the next men to him round to the front. ‘Close’, repeated others of the fugitives, turning sharp round on seeing their colonel. Each gripping a comrade by the arm rushed towards the color.
The shout ‘Close’ was heard everywhere. The scream of a whistle was heard, and was successively repeated throughout the line. ‘Close, close!’ was shouted everywhere, with the strength left by despair. The word acted like a charm. The men who were shooting were pulled up from the ground; the fallen color rose again; all crowded in to the ranks and to the color. At this point the fire ceased entirely; all this was but the work of a minute.
‘Magazine fire - independent fire!’, commanded the powerful voice. It was answered by a tremendous outburst of fire. I anxiously looked at the rifles; no, they were all perfectly level, not a muzzle pointing upwards.
It was certainly not a minute too soon. The enemy had already stopped his fatal fire and taken to the bayonet. His officers were driving the men out of the shelter trenches; but the first regiment now repaid its enormous losses. The enemy threw themselves to the ground as one man and their bullets whistled thickly over our heads.
The whistles sounded shrilly. The fire round the color ceased instantly, and gradually died away on the wings. ‘That is the power of the old Prussian fire discipline’, I cried. In the rear were heard the drums of the approaching 3rd Battalion.
The colonel seized the color. Far afield sounded his command. “Charge bayonets! Double!” and with a triumphant cheer the battalion went for the enemy.
The position was taken.
‘Close-close-hurrah!’ I shouted, the tears rolling down my cheeks.
The sound of my own voice awoke me. I found myself in bed, my heart throbbing, and my eyes wet.
I jumped up. I could rest no longer.
To be continued …
Soon after an installment of this series is posted to The Tactical Notebook, a link to it will appear on the following guide.