They had intended to attack at this hour, but further advance was impossible for the time, and, bending their heads, they sought to protect their ammunition.

Presently they started again and toiled along slowly and painfully for more than two hours.

Then, just as they saw the enemy ahead of them, the storm seemed to reach the very zenith of its fury.
Dick, in the vanguard, beheld earthworks, cannon and troops before Jackson, but the storm still drove so hard that the Union forces could not advance to the assault.
"This is certainly a most unusual situation," said Colonel Winchester, with an effort at cheerfulness.

"Here we are, ready to attack, and the Southerners are ready to defend, but a storm holds us both fast in our tracks.

Our duty to protect our cartridges is even greater than our duty to attack the enemy." "The biggest rain must come to an end," said Dick.
But it was nearly noon before they could advance.