four in the morning
There were but two paths into the swamp , and he felt tolerably safe from pursuit . The trick that had been played upon him put Deck upon his mettle , and he determined , come what might , that the Riverlawns should capture those particular Confederates ere the journey to Huntsville was resumed . As an entrance to the swamp would have proved dangerous in the darkness , he encamped for the night on the outside , but sent out a strong picket guard to surround the district . The Confederates endeavored to escape at four in the morning , knowing that daylight would prove fatal to such an undertaking . They came out of the swamp on both roads , and an alarm from the two spots rang out almost simultaneously . But Major Lyon had prepared for this , and at the first alarm the first battalion galloped to one road , the second battalion to the other , while Major Truman 's command kept on the grand circle . Thus it was fight or go back and be hunted down , and the plucky Confederate captain chose to fight .