Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 10.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

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[461] could perceive his motives. Collecting some canteens of water from his comrades, however, he boldly stepped over the wall and advanced towards the nearest group of the prostrate forms which strewed the ground. Two or three shots were fired, which narrowly missed him; but he did not hesitate, and, walking quietly on, soon commenced to distribute the water to all who were yet alive. Seeing the unhoped — for succor, many who were lying in silent despair beckoned and cried to him from all directions, and he, collecting their canteens, made several returns to the road to get them filled by his comrades before ceasing his humane task. During the following night some of the cannoneers from Jordan's battery also carried water to the nearest wounded, but the slight relief which these efforts afforded availed but little, even to those whom it reached. When, on the 16th, the enemy retreated across the river, and the Confederate surgeons were able to examine the ground, but one of the wounded was still alive.

The Sabbath having passed quietly, and it being known in the Confederate lines that the Eleventh corps, under Siegel, was marching rapidly to join Burnside, a renewal of the attack was confidently expected on Monday morning. Accordingly the Confederate position was strengthened during the night of the 14th by rifle-pits connecting the guns on Marye's hill, and by several new pits for artillery; from two of which, a short distance south of Stansbury's house, a part of the low ground along the canal could be enfiladed. Jenkins's and Kemper's brigades were removed from Marye's hill to Pickett's front during the night. Kemper was replaced by Ransom's brigade and Jenkins by Cooke's and the Sixteenth Mississippi and part of the Forty-sixth, of Featherstone's brigade. Colonel McMillan and Cobb's brigade were also relieved, though much against their wishes, by General Semmes's brigade. A brilliant aurora illuminated the night and much facilitated the work upon the entrenchments, but the morning of the 15th was again obscured by the fog. This cleared away, however, about 8 A. M., but, to the great disappointment of the Confederates, it revealed no signs of an attack.

The enemy's situation was unchanged, except that his rifle pits and fortifications in the suburbs of the city had considerably increased during the night. The supplies of ammunition sent from Richmond had at length been received, and the guns on Marye's Hill were now allowed to dispense a little of it among the sharpshooters, who had been so annoying the day before. The new pits near Stansbury's house were occupied by two twelve pounders under Captain Moody, and when the fog cleared up, they opened a raking fire upon the