noon
That was why we won . It was because women and plows were with us . Our great column , made up of more than one hundred wagons , was divided into platoons of four , each platoon leading for a day , then falling behind to take the bitter dust of those in advance . At noon we parted our wagons in platoons , and at night we drew them invariably into a great barricade , circular in form , the leading wagon marking out the circle , the others dropping in behind , the tongue of each against the tail-gate of the wagon ahead , and the last wagon closing up the gap . Our circle completed , the animals were unyoked and the tongues were chained fast to the wagons next ahead ; so that each night we had a sturdy barricade , incapable of being stampeded by savages , whom more than once we fought and defeated . Each night we set out a guard , our men taking turns , and the night watches in turn rotating , so that each man got his share of the entire night during the progress of his journey . Each morn we rose to the notes of a bugle , and each day we marched in order , under command , under a certain schedule .