Isprangup—myheartinmymouth。Thelongdreadedtimehadarrived;theRebelshadopenedthemassacreinwhichtheymustexterminateus,orwethem。
Ilookedacrosstotheoppositebank,onwhichwerestandingtwelvethousandmen——erect,excited,defiant。IwassurethatatthenextshottheywouldsurgestraightagainsttheStockadelikeamightyhumanbillow,andthenacarnagewouldbeginthelikeofwhichmoderntimeshadneverseen。
Theexcitementandsuspensewereterrible。Wewaitedforwhatseemedagesforthenextgun。Itwasnotfired。OldWinderwasmerelyshowingtheprisonershowhecouldrallytheguardstoopposeanoutbreak。
Thoughthegunhadashellinit,itwasmerelyasignal,andtheguardscamedouble—quickingupbyregiments,goingintopositionintheriflepitsandthehand—grenadepiles。
Aswerealizedwhatthewholeaffairmeant,werelievedoursurchargedfeelingswithafewgeneralyellsofexecrationuponRebelsgenerally,anduponthosearoundusparticularly,andresumedouroccupationofcookingrations,killinglice,anddiscussingtheprospectsofexchangeandescape。