"Then we concluded that you had fallen and had been taken by
the enemy, but we intended to see if we could find you. We've been
hovering about here for some time."
Dick told what he had seen and heard, and the colonel considered it of
much importance.
"I judge from what you heard that they will attack us," he said.
"Buckner and Forrest will be strongly for it, and they're likely to
have their way. We must report at once to General Grant."
The Southern attack had been planned for the next morning, but it did
not come then. Pillow, for reasons unknown, decided to delay another
day, and his fiery subordinates could do nothing but chafe and wait.
Dick spent most of the day carrying orders for his chief, and the
continuous action steadied his nerves.
As he passed from point to point he saw that the Union army itself was
far from ready. It was a difficult task to get twenty thousand raw
farmer youths in proper position. They moved about often without
cohesion and sometimes without understanding their orders. Great
gaps remained in the line, and a daring and skilful foe might cut the
besieging force asunder.
But Grant had put his heavy guns in place, and throughout the day he
maintained a slow but steady fire upon the fort. Great shells and solid
shot curved and fell upon Donelson. Grant did not know what damage they
were doing, but he shrewdly calculated that they would unsteady the
nerves of the raw troops within.
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