Page:The woman in battle .djvu/193

Rh vividness, to the memory. The mental and the physical beings seem to be engaged in a contest for the mastery, and as the numbness of the half-frozen limbs increases, the brain shapes more and more fantastic ideas, and if the terrible contest is too long protracted, and the strain upon the endurance is not removed, fantasy develops into madness, and madness swiftly results in death.

More than once I felt myself giving way; more than once I detected my mind wandering off strangely from the surroundings of the moment; but, by a resolute effort of will, and by an indomitable determination not to succumb, I succeeded in sustaining myself until my relief came, and I was able to seek shelter and the repose I so sorely needed. The battle lasted four days and nights, and, although the Confederates fought with desperate valor, they were at length compelled to yield, and the humiliation of defeat was added to the unspeakable sufferings which the conduct of a fierce and prolonged contest like this, in the middle of a winter of unparalleled severity, entailed upon them. Fortune, which had favored the side of the Confederacy in the battles in which I had heretofore been engaged, was against us now, however, and in spite of the fierce resistance which the garrison made to the Federal attacks, the result was, that nothing was left for us to do but surrender.

The results of the first day's fighting were favorable to us, the Federals being repulsed at all points, and we all felt tolerably sure that we would be able either to drive them off, or to cut our way through their lines.

On Friday, the forces on the land side, evidently discouraged by their ill luck of the day before, did not attempt any very serious demonstrations. It was now the turn of the gunboats to try what they could do towards driving us out of the fort. The navy, however, did not have any better success than the army. In the afternoon the boats advanced up the river, and commenced to shell our works, but they inflicted on us no particular damage, while our fire told on them with terrible effect. The contest between the batteries