John Harrison Wilson, The life of Charles Henry Dana

[261] fallen, had made good his position and felt sure he could hold it, but wanted reinforcements. Apparently it was the opinion of those present that the position should be strengthened by sending the detached divisions back to their respective corps, closing the army to the left, straightening the line of intrenchments, and strengthening them where necessary. Written and verbal orders for the most essential of these measures were duly sent out, but instead of making the necessary changes at once, under cover of darkness, they were put off till the next day. This delay was due mainly to the fact that both officers and men were overcome with fatigue. They had been marching for several days and fighting more or less constantly for the last fourteen hours. As Dana had already reported, all but two brigades of the National army within reach had been engaged; and so, unwarned by martial instinct or by experiences of the past, the generals, as Dana related to me a few days later, after drinking hot coffee and hearing General McCook sing “The Hebrew Maiden,” repaired to their respective commands and waited till after daylight before starting to consolidate their lines and strengthen their intrenchments.

Within the enemy's lines the situation was far more hopeful. While they had been held in check throughout the day and the battle was an undecided one, they were conscious that with the aid of Longstreet's hardy veterans from the East victory might fairly be expected to smile upon them the next day. They had acquired a wholesome dread of the National left under the invincible Thomas. They had thrown themselves in vain time and again against the improvised breastworks which everywhere barred their advance, and now, reinforced by fifteen thousand fresh troops, they had wisely decided to try their fortunes in a turning movement against the National right. The distances to be passed over to that flank by Longstreet, coming in from the