three o'clock
Delaherche , too , was curious to see what would happen ; his curiosity made him valiant . He had been so interested in the preparations for defending the place that he had not slept a wink . General Lebrun , commanding the 12th corps , had received notice that he would be attacked at daybreak , and had kept his men occupied during the night in strengthening the defenses of Bazeilles , which he had instructions to hold in spite of everything . Barricades had been thrown up across the Douzy road , and all the smaller streets ; small parties of soldiers had been thrown into the houses by way of garrison ; every narrow lane , every garden had become a fortress , and since three o'clock the troops , awakened from their slumbers without beat of drum or call of bugle in the inky blackness , had been at their posts , their chassepots freshly greased and cartridge boxes filled with the obligatory ninety rounds of ammunition . It followed that when the enemy opened their fire no one was taken unprepared , and the French batteries , posted to the rear between Balan and Bazeilles , immediately commenced to answer , rather with the idea of showing they were awake than for any other purpose , for in the dense fog that enveloped everything the practice was of the wildest . `` The dyehouse will be well defended , '' said Delaherche . `` I have a whole section in it .