Eleven o'clock
there are circumstances that alter cases . With us he would be free to act on his own devising , for we should make him commander of the forces . Against us he is only a subordinate , controlled by some stupid major-general . '' Eleven o'clock came , and there were twenty-seven men in the tent . Besides these were the several officers of the regiment in camp , who were in their quarters ready for the signal . At the door of the mess tent rose a tall flag-pole , with halyards attached , which entered the tent . To these , by the hands of Dacre , was fastened the Royal Standard of England , to be given to the breeze at the sound of the noonday gun .