r. Now, destiny seemed rushing upon them, and the time almost
too brief to make an intelligent feint on the enemy's front. But
promptness of stratagem, and rapid development of passing advantages, was
perhaps the strongest point in the military character of the distinguished
leader of this movement, for where others halted, awed by the proportions
of an undertaking, or the suddenness of combinations effected in their
front, he only felt an inspiration to go forward. The force which
participated in the attack on the evening of ---- 19th, 1866, did not fall
far short of one hundred thousand men, and yet, thirty-six hours previous
to this time, the occasion had not presented itself to the mind of the
veteran who planned the attack as suitable therefor. A well organized and
lightly-equipped force proved unquestionably a _sine qua non_ in rendering
the dispositions of the commander successful; but we doubt if it would be
fair to subtract this circumstance from the glory of the undertaking, if
the reader is informed that it had been developed from the same ingenious
source with special reference thereto.

In the attack which followed, each Den constituted an independent force,
and was under the immediate command of the Grand Cyclops. Indeed, no other
officer was known on the field, though it was sufficiently apparent, at
the time, that each had received his allotted task from a superior, and it
was afterwards divulged that they had acted under written orders. At ten
o'clock precisely, the commands moved (from the various points of
rendezvous selected), and were allotted one hour to each ten miles of
distance to be traversed. They were in full uniform, and though they
carried arms, were commanded not to fire, nor to return a fire, except
under orders. _En route_ they avoided public roads and dense settlements,
and on approaching their destination changed the order of march (by twos)
to close column by fours, when the command was "charge." After the
building, which formed the object of attack, came in view, no time was to
be lost, and its investment completed as rapidly as possible. Attempted
refugees were to be forced back within the walls, and in no event was an
escape to be permitted. A party of six resolute men were detached from
each squadron for special duty, in securing the papers, books, and other
written documents of the League meeting, and this movement was so far
pivotal in its character, that their comrades were comma