In Barracks and Wigwam — page 234: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ie swelled louder aos nearer, hose a i dark pf eommgbooks om CERO LUE, OTA, ee, aaa, Vo ky Vd SUR nae tL SO Lee ee ee ee Nae SUI Lk he waF Per eee AES. VEEP Ge eee © ae . ; SS rt vn —% ew i Ty Se oy a Wy Za apts ; A ete, Toe Ps t 3" 224 The Fight at Daybreak. mountain. Earthworks were rapidly thrown up on the remaining three sides, and within the inclosure were placed the supply wagons, the hospital tent, and the troop which the major had detailed to stay behind. All was in readiness by twenty minutes past three. An orderly was sent to waken Linn, and the young corpora! hurried from the tent, looking as fresh as though he had slept for twenty-four hours, instead of a few minutes He was given a mount, and assigned to duty witl Troop D. | Several minutes later the order to march rang sharply on the night air. Without note of bugle, and with no more noise than the muffled trampling of hoofs on the soft grass, troop after troop rode out of the camp, forded the shallow bed of the river, and trotted briskly over the plain to the north. The patrols kept some distance in front, and for half. an hour the column advanced without detecting any signs of the enemy. At about four o'clock, when the camp was three miles in the rear, Major Dallas drew up his force in a long line behind a ridge of ground that stretched east and west, . and overlooked a wide hollow through which the Sioux were likely tocome. The moon was hidden under clouds, and the darkness gave promise of a successful ambuscade. The column had barely taken its stand in this position when the patrols came riding in and announced that they had heard the tramp of many hoofs toward the north. By the major’s orders the men at once dismounted, staked the horses, and posted themselves in the low growth of ~ bushes on the very summit of the ridge, from where they ; could see plainly into the shadowy hollow that lay be- ’ yond. a Five minutes passed in silence and suspense. Then the — muffled pounding of hoofs was heard, and the noise a