midnight
Post commanders like to be able to say in their reports , `` I ordered '' this , or `` By my direction '' that , and Harris had gone at the word of alarm without other word with the general . That Harris was to choose his own time was the understanding between them when they parted , almost affectingly , at night , for between the snake episode and the successive toddies the good old gentleman was quite effusive . There would have been , probably , no change in the instructions had Harris started at reveille or even at dawn . But to `` pull out '' at midnight , with the situation changed and without another word with the commander , was something open to criticism . Moreover , Harris knew it . But he had two reasons , neither of which might count with a court of his peers , but were of mighty account to him . ` Tonio had come to him actually ablaze with indignation .