Bull Run

Toby loses his patience listening to the battle and thinking about how the soldiers will get “Yankee guns and medals and glory. And [...] scars to put on public display” (83). He slips away, determined to experience the battle for himself.

The Union soldiers begin to retreat and run away en masse, and James cannot believe how much the soldiers, who earlier in the day looked brave and heroic, have changed. He does not want to draw what he sees, picks up a fallen New York flag, and implores the others to rejoin the fight. No one joins him or stops running.

Colonel Brattle rides into battle with General Beauregard, who brings energy and encouragement to the soldiers. President Davis comes by train to watch the Union soldiers flee and sees them throwing down weapons and belongings while they run.

The hillside picnic turns into chaos as the Confederates charge forward. All the rich spectators flee to their coaches and demand a quick escape. The coaches clog the roads, impeding and infuriating the retreating soldiers. Everyone is frantic and fearful. Edmund whips a soldier who tries to overtake his coach. Confederate shells explode in the street, knocking over wagons. A brave soldier, Custer, is the only one to help the civilians by moving the fallen wagons, allowing Edmund and the others to drive away.

Carlotta is crushed to learn that the Union lost the battle. She cannot “pretend smilin’” (89) with the Confederate soldiers who have returned to camp. One tells her that her the man who brought her there is injured. She packs clothes for him, but after leaving camp, she does not look for him. Instead, she crosses Bull Run, making her escape.

Dietrich wakes up hours later on the quiet battlefield, which is now strewn with dead bodies. Two soldiers are stealing watches and knives from the bodies, and when one tries to rob Dietrich, he is startled that Dietrich is still alive. Dietrich begs for help, but the thieves run away, leaving the photo of the young girl who made Dietrich’s shirt beyond his reach. He struggles lengthily to reach it and finally does.

The cavalry captures hundreds of Union soldiers, but the victors are exhausted. They decide to delay an attack on Washington in order to get some rest. Shem is affected and disturbed by all the dead and injured horses and puts his last energy into burying the dead horses.

Nathaniel is “baffled” (93) that instead of taking heroic pictures of the Union soldiers like he expected, he has no work, as the soldiers are all rushing away and uninterested in pictures. Nathaniel does not hurry out of Centreville like the rest because he knows he will have plenty of Confederate customers when they arrive soon.

Dr. Rye knows people must be celebrating in Richmond, but all he can focus on is the carnage of mutilated bodies in front of him. He and his colleagues have to amputate so many limbs that they form a “small mountain” (94). He believes the only victor of the battle was Death.

Gideon walks with his regiment past supplies that were abandoned in the retreat. While one soldier is pleased they might return to Ohio next week, Gideon is more determined than ever to beat the Confederates. He decides to enlist in a three-year regiment and “itche[s] for the next battle to begin” (95).

Toby is disappointed that he did not make it in time for the battle but cheers up when he finds a knife that he takes as a souvenir. At Bull Run, he sees dead Union soldiers everywhere. One who is still alive but missing the lower half of his body begs Toby to shoot him. Although Toby was once eager to kill a “Yank,” he cannot do it and runs in the direction of home.

Edmund reaches Washington in the middle of the night as the weary soldiers begin to arrive, “the very picture of defeat” (97). Edmund’s passengers complain about everyone, from the soldiers to the president, blaming them for the defeat. Edmund later learns that Southerners have complaints against their own leaders for not attacking Washington. Edmund thinks that Lincoln “ha[s] his feet on the ground” (98) and is glad he ignores his negative press.

All the houses in Flora’s neighborhood are full of wounded soldiers. She cares for the men tirelessly, including a few Union soldiers. The house is noisy with the men’s cries and moans; many of them die. Flora sees a German Union soldier who will not let go of a woman’s photograph “even in sleep,” and she thinks “perhaps it did have healing powers” (100) because his legs are amputated, but he lives.

Lily’s town does not learn about the battle until one week later, and one week after that, they receive a letter that Patrick died in the fight. Lily “[feels] turned to granite by the news” (101) and runs through the fields until she falls down sobbing. She is in disbelief that he could have been killed on what was a quiet Sunday for her. She repeatedly prays to go back in time but then walks home, talking out loud to Patrick, hoping he can hear her.