three o'clock
A fire was allotted for the cooking of each company , and preparations for supper were soon commenced . Then an examination was made of the facilities in the way of sleeping ; and two barns were found , well provided with straw . This was shaken out and , after eating their suppers , the men packed close together upon the straw , and soon forgot both damp and fatigue ; numerous sentries being thrown out , in various directions , to prevent the possibility of surprise -- for the peasants had informed them that the information which they had received was correct ; and that the Uhlans , about two hundred strong , had entered Blamont that afternoon , and had laid a requisition of twenty thousand francs upon the inhabitants , besides a considerable amount of stores of all sorts . At three o'clock they were roused and found , to their great pleasure , that the rain had ceased . Guided by one of the villagers , they made their way down to a point where the wood approached quite close to the road , at a narrow point of the valley . Here Major Tempe posted his men along in the wood . Several coils of wire had been brought with them ; and these were now stretched tightly from tree to tree , at a distance of about eighteen inches from the ground .