The twilight of evening had begun to gather as a precursor of the coming blackness of midnight darkness that was to envelop a scene so sickening and horrible that it is impossible for me to describe it.

"Forward, men," is repeated all along the line.

A sheet of fire was poured into our very faces, and for a moment we halted as if in despair, as the terrible avalanche of shot and shell laid low those brave and gallant heroes, whose bleeding wounds attested that the struggle would be desperate.

Forward, men! The air loaded with death-dealing missiles.

Never on this earth did men fight against such terrible odds.
It seemed that the very elements of heaven and earth were in one mighty uproar.