three o'clock
Fire , as it was proved , was of no avail against it , for it would be impossible to dislodge the carcasses by main force ; and even if they had cannon , the balls would not have penetrated this thickness of flesh , which must have been torn to pieces before it yielded . The idea of covering the carcasses at the gates with their own raw hides was an equally happy one . `` Upon my word , De la Noue , I do not think that , if you or I had been in command here , we could have done better than these two young fellows . '' At three o'clock all was ready for a start . De la Noue took the command of the two hundred horsemen . The Admiral declined to ride , and placed himself at the head of the column of infantry , which was three hundred strong ; thirty of the original defenders having been either killed or disabled , and twenty being left as a guard at the chateau . The surprise of the Catholics was complete .