5 o'clock in the morning
It was learned that Marshal Nogi had retreated from Baker City and had withdrawn his troops to the Blue Mountains , taking up his central position at the point of the pass crossed by the railroad . It had not been possible to ascertain how far the wings of the Japanese army extended to the North or South . It was certain that the enemy maintained strong lines of communication in both directions , but it was difficult to determine just how far their lines penetrated into the wooded slopes and valleys . * * * * * When the guard was relieved at 5 o'clock in the morning , one of the non-commissioned officers was struck by a curiously-shaped bright cloud the size of a hand , which hung like a ball over the mountains in the west in the early morning light . `` It must be an air-ship ! '' said some one . `` It evidently is ; it 's moving ! ''