midday
Sam , who acted as aide-de-camp , was sent out from headquarters once or twice to urge the various colonels to make haste , but there seemed to be no special orders as to the details of the movement . The regiments went as best they could and selected their own roads , finally choosing the positions that seemed most desirable to their commanders , who took care not to leave too great an interval between regiments . The men were set to work at once at putting up the tents and making entrenchments . It was some time after midday when the general and his staff finally left the headquarters in the city . Sam came downstairs with Major Stroud to mount his horse , and was surprised to see a landau with two horses drawn up at the door . `` Who 's that for ? '' he cried .