6 o'clock
The Colonel took the view that the large number of recruits which he expected to gain justified him in ordering the Commissary to issue a liberal quantity of rations . Two large iron wash-kettles were scoured out one used to make coffee in and the other to boil meat , while there was sugar and hardtack in abundance . The mountains were covered with royal blooms of rhododendron , and at the Adjutant 's suggestion enough of these were cut to fill every nook and corner of the main room of the house , hiding the rough logs and dark corners with masses of splendid color , much to the astonish ment of the bride , who had never before thought of rhododendrons as a feature of house adornment . Then , just before 6 o'clock roll-call , Co. . Q , with every man in it cleaned up as for dress-parade , with Nathan Hartburn at the head , supported on either side by Si and Shorty , and flanked by the Adjutant and Chaplain , marched up the hill to the house , led by the fifers and drummers , playing the reveille , `` When the Cruel War is Over , '' `` Yankee Doodle , '' and everything else in their limited repertory which they could think as at all appropriate to the occasion . The rest of the regiment , with most of the officers , followed after . The Chaplain took his place in front of the rhododendron-filled fireplace .