Coming down off Little Round Top escorted by a young lieutenant named Pitzer, Chamberlain and his men can see the whole army spread out along the ridge and up to the hills at the north end. He hears about yesterday’s charge by the 1st Minnesota. It attacked the Rebel line on a moment’s notice at Hancock’s order and bought time for reinforcements to move up. This saved the Union line when it was breaking, but out of 300 men, only 40 came back.
Pitzer tells Chamberlain that Meade wanted to pull out last night, but the rest of officers voted to stay. Pitzer adds that Hancock believes the Rebels will attack again, and it will be right in the middle of the Union line.
Chamberlain’s group is placed in reserve behind Meade’s headquarters. He sends one of his men to scrounge for rations while Tom checks on Kilrain at the hospital. Chamberlain is called to see General Sykes, and a sympathetic lieutenant lends him a horse to ride over.
Sykes is curt, short-tempered, and not personable, but impressed with Chamberlain’s charge yesterday. He, too, comments on Chamberlain’s not being regular army. Sykes will look into making Chamberlain a brigade commander. He sits there eating chicken and pickles in front of Chamberlain and never offers him anything, but he agrees to send a lieutenant to get Chamberlain’s men some rations.
Chamberlain, now without the horse, must walk back to his men on his injured foot, which is burning like fire. He manages to overcome his pride and asks for help when Lieutenant Frank Haskell approaches him. Haskell kindly gets him some chicken, eyes Chamberlain with respect, and mentions he recognized Chamberlain’s name. Chamberlain eats one piece of chicken and gives the other two to his men.
Tom returns, glum. He recounts the terrible conditions at the hospital and tells Chamberlain that Kilrain is dead. It wasn’t his wounds; his heart just gave out.
At that moment, the battle starts with an artillery barrage. Everyone ducks for cover, and Chamberlain notes that he “had been under artillery before but never like this.” He huddles against the ground and falls asleep. Chamberlain continues to wake and sleep, with everything having a surreal nature to it.
