hen the
veteran commander came hurrying out, half-dressed, and hied him, with
his attendant officer, to the southern angle of the stockade. There on
the narrow ledge or platform built under the sharp tops of the upright
logs, were grouped the silent, grave-faced guard, a dozen men intently
listening. Thither presently came running others of the officers or men,
suddenly awakened by sense of something unusual going on. Far away among
the wooded heights to the south, echoing from the rocky palisades to the
west, could be heard the pop, pop of distant musketry, punctuated
sometimes with louder bang as of large caliber rifles closer at hand.
Little time was there in which to hazard opinion as to the cause. One or
two men, faint-hearted at the thought of the peril of Indian battle and
hopeful of influencing the judgment of their superiors, began the murmur
of "Big hunt," "Buffalo drive," etc., glancing furtively at the colonel
the while as though to observe the effect. But an imperative "Silence,
you idiots!" from the officer of the day put sudden end to their
conjectures. Only a moment did the commander listen. Then, quick and
startling, came the order, "Sound to arms!" and within the minute the
stirring peal of the cavalry trumpet was answered by the hoarse thunder
of the snare-drum, beating the long roll. Out from their "dog tents" and
half-finished log huts came the bewildered men. Often as the alarm had
sounded on the frontier there was a thrill and ring about it this time
that told of action close at hand. Out from the little huts, hurrying
into their frock coats and belting on their swords as they glared about
them for the cause of the uproar, came the officers, old and young, most
of them veterans of many hard-fought fields of the war days--one or two,
only, youngsters fresh from the Point. At many a doorway and unglazed
window appeared the pallid faces of women and children, some of them
weeping in mingled fright and distress. In front of the log guardhouse
the sergeant quickly formed the two reliefs not on post. On their
designated parades the companies rapidly fell in, while stern-voiced
non-commissioned officers rebuked the laggards and aided them into their
belts, and each first sergeant took rapid note of his men. No need to
call the roll, a skulker would have been detected and kicked into the
ranks at the instant. Over under the rough board shelter of the
quartermaster's employees the workmen came tumbling out i