It was Bragg's division that was about to charge the great battery of siege guns that the alert Webster had manned so quickly.

Five minutes more and Webster would have been too late.

Here again were the fortunes of Grant brought to the very verge of the pit.

The Northern gunboats at the mouth of Lick Creek moved forward a little, and their guns were ready to support the battery.
The Kentucky regiment was wedged in between the battery and a brigade, and it was gasping for breath.

Colonel Winchester, slightly wounded in three places, commanded his men to lie down, and they gladly threw themselves upon the earth.
There was a momentary lull in the battle.