seven o'clock
Staff officers had the utmost difficulty in keeping the regiments together . It was time for the sun , but it did not appear . Everything was veiled in clouds and driving rain . Dick looked at his watch , and saw that it was seven o'clock . 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 .