noon
In fact , the impression made upon me was that everything was being done in quite an orderly manner . In spite of so many leaving , the crowd around the station continued to grow ; at sunrise there were a great many women and children . By this time I also noticed some colored people ; a few seemed to be going about customary tasks ; several were standing on the outskirts of the crowd ; but the gathering of Negroes usually seen in such towns was missing . Before noon they brought him in . Two horsemen rode abreast ; between them , half dragged , the poor wretch made his way through the dust . His hands were tied behind him , and ropes around his body were fastened to the saddle horns of his double guard . The men who at midnight had been stern and silent were now emitting that terror-instilling sound known as the `` rebel yell . ''