This way Jackson had of expecting much was rapidly causing his men to offer much as a matter of course.
While Jackson was writing the notes to the brigadiers he looked up once or twice at the darkening skies.

The great mass of clouds, charged with snow that had been hovering in the east, was now directly overhead.

When he had finished the last note it was too dark for him to write any more without help of torch.

As he handed the note to the aide who was to take it, a great flake of snow fell upon his hand.
Harry found that the brigades could move no faster.

They were already toiling hard.