Chapter 4

There is a lot of new characters in this chapter. they are talking about how each of them are either brave or hurt or good at commanding or being officers, etc. they are in battle and the youth and his friends were freezing in silence. they could see a flag through the smoke then they saw "a turbulent stream of men across the fields." as they were preparing for battle a shell went over the reserves heads and they could hear it screaming, is ended up exploding in the ground and the reserves were showered with pine needles. then came the bullets hitting trees and knocking down twigs and things. the lieutenant got shot in the hand, he was swearing a lot and it made a nervous laughter in through out the reserves and it kind of relieved some tightness. he rapped it with a handkerchief. There were comanders going down a stream with swords hitting anyone and everyone they could reach.
Question: Then the youth thought about the other troops that didnt' show and how they could run and he was going to run with them? but he was faster? i didn't under stand what he meant by that.