four o'clock
Orders had been read , but little could be understood by men in the ranks . Nothing was clear to me , in these orders , except two things : -- First , to be surprised would be unpardonable . Second , to fall back would be unpardonable . * * * * * It was four o'clock . The road was ankle-deep in dust ; the sun burnt our faces as we marched toward the west . Up hill and down hill , up hill and down hill , we marched for an hour , west and southwest . We halted ; from each company men were detailed to fill canteens .