As quickly as the charge begins and continues, it comes to an end. Henry sees that the remaining troops in the regiment are beginning to retreat. The officers entreat the men to keep firing, but to no avail. The regiment’s remaining men return to the relative safety of the trees on the side of the clearing where the offensive began. Henry and Wilson have a brief argument over who will carry the flag. Henry pushes Wilson away and assumes the ownership of the flag. As Henry surveys his comrades, he sees a dejected, worn-out group of soldiers. The enemy forces begin their counterattack against the retreating regiment.
The regiment is in serious disarray, and Henry joins forces with his lieutenant to try to keep the men focused on their retreat toward friendly lines. Confusion builds, and some of the troops in Henry’s regiment begin to think that they are moving toward the enemy instead of away from them. Henry moves into the middle of the confused troops, and he, while holding the flag as a rallying point, along with the lieutenant and the other officers, brings the men back to their senses. The lieutenant organizes the troops into a circle in order to cover any possibility that the troops have lost their direction and to protect the remaining men in the regiment from attack from any direction.
As the regiment waits, Henry studies the demeanor of the lieutenant. The lieutenant is calm as he stands straight and peers through the haze—when, suddenly, he hollers, “Here they come! Right on us, b’ Gawd!” Henry and the others begin firing. The enemy is so close that Henry can clearly see, for the first time, the faces and uniforms of the enemy. The quick action of the regiment catches the enemy troops by surprise. The enemy returns fire, and the two forces engage in a fierce battle. Henry is impressed with the ferocity the regiment shows in fighting. The remaining soldiers of the regiment turn back the enemy. This “small duel” revitalizes the men and restores their confidence.
