midnight
Warner and Pennington slept quickly , but Dick lay awake a long time , listening to the stray rifle shots and the distant boom of a cannon at far intervals . After a while , he looked at his watch and saw that it was midnight . It was more than an hour later when slumber overtook him , and while he and his comrades lay there the last of Jackson 's men were coming with the help that Lee needed so sorely . Two divisions which had been left at Harper 's Ferry started at midnight just as Dick was looking at his watch and at dawn they were almost to the Potomac . On their flank was a cavalry brigade and A. P. Hill was hurrying with another of infantry . Messenger after messenger from them came to Lee that on the fateful day they with their fourteen thousand bayonets would be in line when they were needed most . Few of those who fought for the Lost Cause ever cherished anything more vividly than those hours between midnight and the next noon when they marched at the double quick across hill and valley and forest to the relief of their great commander .