Chapter 32: Taking the Hill
"You have to come quickly, Lo!" General Kemper yelled desperately from atop his horse. "For God's sake, they're firing at us from two sides…we won't be able to advance much more like this…"
"I'll come up at the double quick, just try to keep pressing forward, Jim. We have to make it up the hill!" Armistead replied vehemently. Kemper nodded hurriedly and galloped off. Zim watched the heavyset general leave, and felt as if he'd never see him again. He looked back to his commander as Armistead turned to his brigade.
"Men!" He yelled. "Forward! At the double time! Forward and give them the cold steel!" He broke into a run, and the men followed. Zim pulled the revolver from his belt, feeling the moment was near, and holding it in his right hand, he ran beside general Armistead toward the hill that despite its low elevation, was now looking down on them amid the fire and noise spewing forth from its summit. Closer and closer they ran, Zim's heart pounding in fear and determination. Kemper's brigade was falling apart in front of them now. There was no sign of the general, and his men were being torn to pieces by the enemy cannons, and the rifles of thousands of Yankees. Two shells exploded in the front ranks of Armistead's brigade, stalling the men for a moment. Zim heard the all too familiar whine of a bullet passing dangerously close, and it seemed the army would go no further.
"Virginians!" Armistead roared. Zim looked in wonder as the general took off his wide brimmed hat and impaled it upon his sword. Then holding his hat high, he screamed "Who will come with me?!" Armistead broke into a dead run toward the top of the hill. Zim sprinted beside his general, and the rest of the men, their courage renewed, charged up the slope. There were no commanders now. No officers. Every man knew what he was supposed to do. Every man was his own army as they ran screaming into the hell in front of them.