The old Colonel soothed them,
and quieted their excitement, and then gave a command about the preparations
to be made. This called them to order at once; and in a few minutes
the camp was as orderly and quiet as usual: the fires were replenished;
the scanty stores were being overhauled; the place was selected,
and being got ready to roll the guns over the cliff; the camp was
being ransacked for such articles as could be carried, and all preparations
were being hastily made for their march.
The old Colonel having completed his arrangements sat down by his camp-fire
with paper and pencil, and began to write; and as the men finished their work
they gathered about in groups, at first around their camp-fires,
but shortly strolled over to where the guns still stood at the breastwork,
black and vague in the darkness. Soon they were all assembled about the guns.
One after another they visited, closing around it and handling it from
muzzle to trail as a man might a horse to try its sinew and bone, or a child
to feel its fineness and warmth. They were for the most part silent,
and when any sound came through the dusk from them to the officers at
their fire, it was murmurous and fitful as of men speaking low and brokenly.
There was no sound of the noisy controversy which was generally heard,
the give-and-take of the camp-fire, the firing backwards and forwards
that went on on the march; if a compliment was paid a gun
by one of its special detachment, it was accepted by the others;
in fact, those who had generally run it down now seemed most anxious
to accord the piece praise.
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