Chapter 4: Baptism of fire

It was a hot March day. Scavengers circled overhead as we continued our march down the road. Holona was hell. We were at war, but bullets did not cause the first casualties. Men died with bloody dysentery or shaking with a fever or choking on their own vomit. They died struggling for breath or drenched in sweat or raving like mad things or with skins blistered raw. Men, women, and children all died, and there was not enough time to burn or bury them all. I fell ill myself when coming here, but I was lucky that I recovered quickly. Maybe being kidnapped by Rocca was a good idea in hindsight, but it was too late to change things now.

The air was choking from the dust kicked up by the men ahead so that we behind them stumbled through a warm and gritty mix that stung our eyes. Some trees lined the road, and they were bright with a red blossom. Occasionally, a troop of cavalry would pass back and forth beside our column to our right, they acted as our screen. I saw the glimmer of sunlight off a drawn saber before they trotted back down the column. The musket on my shoulders was quite uncomfortable. Us ensigns took turns holding the regimental colors, but it wouldn't be my turn again until the next hour.

There was a crack of a cannon. I then heard the bushes rustle, some foliage being torn apart, and an audible thunk against a tree. I looked over at the tree, which was on the left of the road, and saw a cannonball rolling across the dirt. It was a long way off from hitting us, probably 200 meters, but it seemed to wake everyone up. "What in the hell was that!?" a voice from behind me said.

"The sound of a piss poor gunner." Corporal Elurd Answered. A few men chuckled.

The entire column came to a halt as the shot seemed to unnerve the officer leading the front company. I stepped out of formation, which I could do as an ensign once the formation halted. I took a much-needed stretch and paced to the right side of the company, trying to spot the enemy cannon.

The cavalry passed by me again before spurring into a trot past the treeline on the right, leaving only a drifting cloud of dust behind. Two light six-pounder cannons followed them, bounding dangerously on the uneven ground behind their teams of horses. Most of the guns in Holona were drawn by oxen, due to the lack of supply. Another crack rang through the air. There was a trace of gray in the air, a cannonball was heading straight towards us, and I would not be able to move in time. It slammed into the ground a dozen meters short of my feet and bounced over our heads, harmlessly falling into a bush. I was in utter shock.

"Piss poor, huh? I bet that's what's in your pants right now, Elurd" A private said.

"Shut up." Elurd meekly replied. No one even chuckled this time. That shot was too close.

A few officers spurred their horses as they passed, heading towards the head of the stalled column. Another thumping discharge of the enemy cannon rolled across the countryside and the heavy ball splashed and bounced and tore its way through a patch of growing crops.

The officers had stopped their horses at the head of the column and now used telescopes to inspect the distant ridge which was clouded by a ragged fringe of smoke left from the last shot of the enemy cannon. In the front was Colonel Robert Gelsh, who was in charge of our battalion and a few others. He was a tall, handsome man, and uncommonly, red hair.

"Company all present, sir!" The company's first Sergeant, Joel Ness shouted as he stood at attention.

Lieutenant Lucas Hilim curbed his horse and nodded at Sergeant Ness. He was my senior. Some of the red dust discolored his brown hair. He was a popular officer, but many thought of him to be weak. He was a new lieutenant though, so I was sure he just wasn't used to his authority.

Captain Luod, our company's commanding officer, rode back from the head of the battalion and any chatter stopped. "Half-companies!" he shouted at Sergeant Ness.

"Half-companies it is, sir! Sergeant Yeler! Take charge of the after ranks. Mister Sholon! I'll trouble you to take your proper place on the left, sir. Forward ranks! Shoulder muskets! Twenty paces, forward, march!" I hurriedly took my place in the formation as Sergeant Ness bellowed his orders.

The front ten ranks of the company marched twenty meters and halted, leaving the other nine ranks behind. All along the battalion column, the companies were similarly dividing, their drill as clean as though they were back on the parade ground. The flag of Maeortz, as well as the regimental color, flew proudly under the shining sun. Until now there had only been one gun firing, but abruptly six other cannons joined the fight. The new guns seemed to be smaller and their round shot fell well short of any soldiers.

"We're going to push the bastards off the ridge!" Captain Luod shouted. "Any coward that turns tail will be shot. You hear me?"

"Yes sir!" We shouted.

The front of the column was marching now, but the rearmost companies were kept waiting so that the battalion could advance with wide intervals between its half-companies. This scattered formation was intended to reduce casualties caused by the enemy's bombardment. Behind us, the rest of the allied armies were probably waiting for the ridge to be cleared.

"Forward-half-company!" Ness shouted.

Lieutenant Hilim was given supervision of the last half-company and waited until we had marched twenty meters, then nodded at Sergeant Yeler.

We marched forth to the ridge with unloaded muskets, as the enemy was still far off. I looked around my half-company. All of them were fine soldiers. Our year of practice definitely would not go to waste. At least, I hoped so. We have all sacrificed so much.

An enemy cannonball at last found a target and I saw a half-company of the 73rd broken apart as the round shot whipped through the ranks. I saw a faint red mist appear in the air above the formation as the ball slashed through. Two men stayed on the ground as a sergeant closed the ranks up. A few more were limping and one of them staggered, reeled, and finally collapsed. The men behind quickly pressed forwards, the bodies must have been a horrible sight.

"Oh god." a private said as a deafening ripple of gunfire poured out from the ridge. A few more guns of the Banta empire joined the fray. The crest of the ridge was now fogged by a grey-white cloud of smoke. The two Maeortz six-pounders off to the right had unlimbered and started to return fire, but the thick screen of smoke made it difficult to aim. More friendly cavalry trotted forwards.

The landscape ahead was suddenly filled with Banta infantry, and they were marching down into the plain. Their uniforms were pale orange and they were bare-legged.

"73rd!" An officer shouted from the front. "Line to the left!"

"Line to the left! On the double!" Captain Luod echoed.

The leading half-company of the 73rd had halted and every other half-company, including ours, angled to their left and sped up their pace. We began to jog to the position, our packs bumping up and down. I finally got into position, taking a deep breath. Our battalion formed a line two ranks deep and barred the advance of the Banta infantry. There were a few seconds of shuffling as we glanced right to check our alignment, then there was a stillness and silence. The 73rd's seven hundred men now faced the enemy.

"Load!" The officer ordered.

The other officers echoed his order. I dropped the musket from my shoulder and pulled the hammer to half-cock.

"Handle cartridge!" Sergeant Ness shouted. I pulled a cartridge from my pouch and bit through the waxed paper.

"Prime!" I trickled a small pinch of powder from the cartridge into the pan, then closed the lock to trap it.

"Cast about!" I dropped the butt of the musket to the ground and poured the rest of the powder down the barrel and stuffed the paper in as well. I took the ball from my mouth and pushed it into the muzzle. The enemy infantry was probably two hundred meters away and they were advancing to the beat of their drums. The Banta guns were still firing, but they turned away from us and aimed at the Holonan regiments that were closing the distance.

"Draw ramrod!" Ness shouted. I tugged the ramrod free of the pipes.

"Ram cartridge!" I thrust down, forcing the ball, paper, and powder to the bottom of the barrel.

"Return ramrod!" I tugged the ramrod up and it scraped against the barrel and returned it back to the pipes.

"Order arms!" Captain Luod called and our company, now with loaded muskets, stood to attention with guns held to our right sides. The enemy was still too far off, lest we waste ammunition and time.

"Fix, bayonets!" The officer ordered. I drew my bayonet from its scabbard and clipped it onto the muzzle. I looked at the enemy ahead, they seemed well-trained. They were in a solid column and they continued to advance closer. The six-pounders fired at them, but the column shrugged off the casualties, it was still packed tight.

The enemy now filled the landscape ahead. They came in a column formed of sixty ranks of fifty men, three thousand in all. None of them fired as they advanced, their muskets tipped with bayonets.

"Make ready!" The officer called. I positioned my body so that I had a stable stance and my body turned to the right. I pulled the hammer to full cock.

"Present!" Seven hundred muskets came up. The enemy was hurrying now, the mass of orange breaking apart as they began running. I heard their thunderous cheers. I aimed at the man in front, he seemed like a young fellow. They were around 50 meters away.

"Fire!" I pulled the trigger. There was an almighty crackling roar as the seven hundred muskets flamed. The butt of the gun slammed into my shoulder and my vision was quickly obscured by the rolling smoke.

"Forward! 73rd, forward!" An officer shouted.

"Steady now! Walk!" Sergeant Yeler called. Some of the men were still moving too quickly as the formation started to warp out of shape.

"Hold your ranks men! This isn't a race!" I Shouted.

We advanced through the smoke. There was nothing ahead but chaos and carnage. I was expecting the enemy to be closer, but the enemy was heavily slowed down by the barrier of dead and injured men. This also seemed to be their first time fighting or they were in complete shock, as some of them just stood there.

"On the double! On the double!" Colonel Gelsh shouted.

There was a loud cheer. I also gave a loud shout as I ran towards the enemy. The Banta men grew nervous and edged backward. The sound of trumpets rang and the cavalry charged into the flank of the column. The Banta infantrymen fled.

As I approached the bloody pile, a wounded man brought up his musket. I quickly kicked the musket out of his hands and stabbed my bayonet into his chest. I pulled it out and kept running. Most of my fellow soldiers overtook me, chasing down the fleeing enemy. Our cavalry continued the hunt when we could not chase any longer. Gasping for air, I put my hands on my knees. I threw up. It was finally over.

We had set up camp for the day. I, as an officer, had the privilege of sleeping in a tent, but the common soldier was not so lucky. I sat on a nearby hill, reminiscing about today's events. What they said was true, war was indeed hell.

"I must have made the wrong decision somewhere," I muttered to myself.

"You are my hero Eric, you could never be wrong." A sweet voice tickled my ears.

I turned around and saw Rocca's smiling face, her face illuminated by the glow of the setting sun.

-Volume 1 end-