Thomas with his cautious, measuring mind was rectifying his lines in the wintry darkness.

He occupied a crossing of the roads, and he posted a strong battery of artillery to cover the Southern approach.

Around him were men from Kentucky, the mountains of Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, and Minnesota.
The Minnesota troops were sun-tanned men who had come more than a thousand miles from an Indian-infested border to defend the Union.
All through the night Thomas worked.

He directed men with spades to throw up more intrenchments.

He saw that the guns of the battery were placed exactly right.