Instead, he
thumbed his Bible in search of passages that justified the use of force.
One day, before the regiment sailed for France, when York's company was
leaving the drill-field, Capt. Danford sent for him. Together they went
over many passages of the Bible which both had found.
"If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight."
They were together several hours. At last York said:
"All right; I'm satisfied."
After that there was no reference to religious objection. From the first
he had seen the justice of the war. He now saw the righteousness of it.
York's abilities as a soldier were soon revealed. He quickly qualified
as a sharp-shooter, both as skirmisher and from the top of the trench.
In battalion contest formation, where the soldiers run and fall and
fire, "shooting at moving targets," it was not difficult for him to
score eight hits out of ten shots, and, with a rifle that was new to
him. This, too, over a range that began at 600 yards and went down to
100 yards, with the targets in the shape of the head and shoulders of a
man. In these maneuvers he attracted the attention of his officers.
The impressive figure of the man with its ever present evidence of
reserve force, the strength of his personality, uneducated as he was,
made him a natural leader of the men around him.
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