It takes Henry some moment to come back to his senses. He realizes the grime and smoke makes him choke. He looks at the men still standing and simply enjoys being able to look around. On the ground there lay a few contorted bodies. A battery still throws shells over the troops towards the enemy.
Henry looks around and takes in the whole scene, moving horses, wounded men, and flags.
Henry feels these flags look like beautiful birds that have lasted a storm. Then he looks and notices the beautiful blue of the sky. The enemy troops come rushing out of the grayness and smoke in front of his regiment. His doubts still live on in his head, until he actually begins to fire. The change from Henry's head to Henry's communal action, first suggested by Wilson's package in chapter three, comes out fully here.