ten o'clock
Through every hour of this awful day he sat in the telegraph office of the War Department and read with bated breath the news . The brief reports were not reassuring . The battle was raging with unparalleled fury . At ten o'clock General Reynolds fell dead from his horse in front of his men , and when the news was flashed to Meade he sent Hancock forward riding at full speed to take command . The President read the message announcing Reynolds ' death with quivering lip . He put his big hand blindly over his heart as if about to faint . At three o'clock the smoke which had enveloped the battle line was lifted by a breeze as Hancock dashed on the field .