How The Redoubt Was Taken / 1896

The narrative presents a soldier's recollection of his first combat, describing his arrival at camp, uneasy anticipation, superstitions about a red moon, and a detailed account of the assault on a fortified redoubt. It traces small incidents, including encounters with a stern captain, bombardment, a running advance under fire, the shock of explosions, and the captain's death, concluding with the narrator among the few survivors. The story emphasizes sensory immediacy and sudden violence, the clash between youthful bravado and fear, and the arbitrary nature of survival, while conveying military routine, comradeship, and the physical chaos of battle.