three in the morning
At two in the morning two parties of scouts were captured ; seven of the eight men were killed , the eighth made his way back to camp crying : `` To arms ! '' A courier was instantly despatched to the First Consul , who was sleeping at Torre di Galifo . Meanwhile , till orders could be received , the drums beat to arms all along the line . A man must have shared in such a scene to understand the effect produced on a sleeping army by the roll of drums calling to arms at three in the morning . The bravest shuddered . The troops were sleeping in their clothes ; every man sprang up , ran to the stacked arms , and seized his weapons . The lines formed on the vast plains of Marengo .