Some good Samaritan had filled his little black oyster can with water, and placed it within his reach.
For a week, at least, he had not been able to rise from the ground; he could barely reach for the water near him.

He gave us such a glare of recognition as I remembered to have seen light up the fast-darkening eyes of a savage old mastiff, that I and my boyish companions once found dying in the woods of disease and hurts.

Had he been able he would have driven us away, or at least assailed us with biting English epithets.

Thus he had doubtless driven away all those who had attempted to help him.
We did what little we could, and staid with him until the next afternoon, when he died.

We prepared his body, in the customary way: folded the hands across his breast, tied the toes together, and carried it outside, not forgetting each of us, to bring back a load of wood.
The scarcity of mechanics of all kinds in the Confederacy, and the urgent needs of the people for many things which the war and the blockade prevented their obtaining, led to continual inducements being offered to the artizans among us to go outside and work at their trade.