Quote by Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

But out of that silence rose new sounds more appalling still; a strange ventriloquism, of which you could not locate the source, a smothered moan, as if a thousand discords were flowing together into a key-note weird, unearthly, terrible to hear and bear, yet startling with its nearness; the writhing concord broken by cries for help, some begging for a drop of water, some calling on God for pity; and some on friendly hands to finish what the enemy had so horribly begun; some with delirious, dreamy voices murmuring loved names, as if the dearest were bending over them; and underneath, all the time, the deep bass note from closed lips too hopeless, or too heroic to articulate their agony...It seemed best to bestow myself between two dead men among the many left there by earlier assaults, and to draw another crosswise for a pillow out of the trampled, blood-soaked sod, pulling the flap of his coat over my face to fend off the chilling winds, and still more chilling, the deep, many voiced moan that overspread the field.

Summary

This quote describes the chilling sounds and horrific scenes experienced in the midst of a battle. The author emphasizes the overwhelming and haunting nature of the sounds heard in the silence, making it difficult to identify their source. The moans, pleas for help, and cries for God's mercy create a dissonant symphony of pain and suffering. The desperation of the injured and dying soldiers is vividly portrayed, with some calling for relief or assistance, and others murmuring their loved ones' names in delirium. The narrator finds refuge amidst the dead bodies, using one as a makeshift pillow and covering their face to shield against the cold winds and the haunting moans that fill the air.