eight o'clock in the morning
When I considered the matter , with a sickness for home in my heart , it seemed much as if my proper place was with my parents , and there , if trouble should come , I would be able to strike a blow in defence of those I loved ; but while listening to the conversation of the soldiers , and being brought to understand how sorely the colonists needed the aid which should come from their midst , I said to myself that strong , hulking lads like our Minute Boys ought to be ashamed to do other than remain in the service , doing their part in showing the king that we would have no more of his misrule . It seemed to me that Sergeant Corney was averse to talking with any of us concerning the future , for , as soon as it was known that we must decide at once upon some course , he kept aloof whenever he heard two or three discussing the question of what we Minute Boys ought to do , now that we were no longer needed at Fort Schuyler . I have thus set down that which was in my mind at the time , not that it is of any especial importance , but to the end that he who reads may understand how undecided I was as to what my company had best do at such a time ; and I believe every person will realize that a lad 's love for country must be great when it prompts him to turn his back on home and loved ones after having passed through as many dangers as had our boys from Cherry Valley . During the evening previous I had notified all the members of the company that we would meet in the barracks at eight o'clock in the morning to decide what course should be pursued , and considerably before the time set every lad was in waiting ; but Sergeant Corney did not put in an appearance . We had come to consider him as the head and front of the Minute Boys , and his absence at such an important time seemed odd , to say the least . `` I believe he has it in mind to join General Arnold 's force , '' John Sammons said , when the hour for the conference had come and passed without the sergeant 's having shown himself , and the idea of such a possibility brought a strange sensation of loneliness to my heart . Then Jacob suggested that the old man might have been detained against his will at headquarters , and I proposed that the lad go at once to learn if such was the case .