midnight
Having no leader and no headquarters , the officers marched the men to the hills above the city and went into camp to await further developments . Throughout the night they watched the illumination of the city and of the boats in the harbor below them ; they saw the flames bursting from the homes of the members of Alvarez 's Cabinet , and when the morning broke they beheld the grounds of the Palace swarming with Mendoza 's troops , and the red and white barred flag of the revolution floating over it . The news of the assassination of Alvarez and the fact that Rojas had been spared for fear of the people , had been carried to them early in the evening , and with this knowledge of their General 's safety hope returned and fresh plans were discussed . By midnight they had definitely decided that should Mendoza attempt to dislodge them the next morning , they would make a stand , but that if the fight went against them , they would fall back along the mountain roads to the Valencia mines , where they hoped to persuade the fifteen hundred soldiers there installed to join forces with them against the new Dictator . In order to assure themselves of this help , a messenger was despatched by a circuitous route to the Palms , to ask the aid of the resident director , and another was sent to the mines to work upon the feelings of the soldiers themselves . The officer who had been sent to the Palms to petition Clay for the loan of his soldier-workmen , had decided to remain until Clay returned , and another messenger had been sent after him from the camp on the same errand . These two lieutenants greeted Clay with enthusiasm , but he at once interrupted them , and began plying them with questions as to where their camp was situated and what roads led from it to the Palms .