four o'clock
But even then the Indians were not defeated . They charged up with ferocious energy time after time , and the best we could do was to cling to our position and let them bring the fighting to us . So different was their behavior from any we had been familiar with in previous engagements we began to wonder if they would violate other Indian precedents and continue the battle into the night . It was not until three or four o'clock that we noticed any lessening in their efforts to retake the ridge . At the best this afforded us only a short breathing-spell . There were many warriors still hidden along the slopes drained by Crooked Creek . Our line was so long there was always danger of the Indians concentrating and breaking it .