Of the enemy forty thousand were dead and two hundred and ten thousand were wounded with seventy-five thousand missing. Of prisoners Dru had captured three hundred and seventy-five thousand.
General Newton was killed in the early afternoon, soon after the rout began.
Philip’s casualties were twenty-three thousand dead and one hundred and ten thousand wounded.
It was a holocaust, but the war was indeed ended.
Chapter XXIII
Elma’s Aftermath
After General Dru had given orders for the care of the wounded and the disposition of the prisoners, he dismissed his staff and went quietly out into the starlight. He walked among the dead and wounded and saw that everything possible was being done to alleviate suffering. Feeling weary he sat for a moment upon a dismembered gun.
As he looked over the field of carnage and saw what havoc the day had made, he thought of the Selwyns and the Thors, whose selfishness and greed were responsible for it all, and he knew that they and their kind would have to meet an awful charge before the judgment seat of God. Within touch of him lay a boy of not more than seventeen, with his white face turned towards the stars. One arm was shattered and a piece of shell had torn a great red wound in the side of his chest. Dru thought him dead, but he saw him move and open his eyes. He removed a coat from a soldier that lay dead beside him and pillowed the boy’s head upon it, and gave him some water and a little brandy.
“I am all in, Captain,” said he, “but I would like a message sent home.” He saw that Dru was an officer but he had no idea who he was. “I only enlisted last week. I live in Pennsylvania--not far from here.” Then more faintly--“My mother tried to persuade me to remain at home, but I wanted to do my share, so here I am--as you find me. Tell her--tell her,” but the message never came--for he was dead.