Of course this strikes Henry as strange. The general's words are a completely different way to look at the battle, separated from Henry by age, experience, and social class. The youth accepts the possibility, though, that they may indeed die. He exhibits in this some bravery for the battle to come. With a gasp that is intended to be a cheer, the regiment starts running at the enemy troops.
Henry fixes on a distant clump of trees and runs toward it as if toward a goal.
His face is drawn tight, and his features look disheveled and crazed. Yellow flames leap out of the forest at the advancing soldiers. The line lurches, its parts staggering ahead of each other as the troops all run. The youth is unconsciously at the lead. Bullets fly all around.