Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Harvard Memorial Biographies

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[342] in the line of battle behind the town, a couple of hundred yards before the famous stone wall held by the Rebels. Sunday morning, soon after daybreak, the line was advanced a hundred yards, when all lay down, and there till night they lay hugging the ground, having for their only protection the stiff bodies of Saturday's dead,—exposed to a galling fire, and returning scarcely a shot. Did a man move any part of his body, the fire of fifty muskets was directed to the portion of the line where he lay. In this most undesirable position Temple showed his utter fearlessness. In the early part of the day he had occasion to seek his commanding officer, separated from him by half the length of the regiment; and officers have often spoken of the coolness with which he walked slowly up the line and then slowly back again. He himself afterwards regretted this act, as it brought a heavy fire on others than himself. At night the regiment returned to the town.

The fever had now a firm hold upon Temple, and he sought a couch in a dwelling-house, his company bivouacking in the street below. In twenty-four hours more the army had recrossed the Rappahannock, and was occupying the camp of the last three weeks. Temple immediately applied for a sick-leave. It was more than a week before he was permitted to leave his coarse bed and food, and rough nurse, for the more dainty comforts and gentler hands necessary for his recovery. Then by easy stages he went to Newport, Rhode Island, where his sisters resided. His leave was extended, and he did not return to the army until the 1st of February, when he was entirely well. The camp seemed melancholy enough, but he met with a warm welcome. He was at work immediately, and, with the few yards of canvas allowed him, he contrived to make a cheerful habitation. The sanitary condition of his company then occupied his attention, and the men were directed to pull down their old huts and build new.

To the army three months of apparent inactivity followed. There was only a little picket duty, with just enough drilling and fatigue duty to keep officers and men in health and discipline.