one o'clock in the morning
With such a mass of troops to move , there are sure to be delays in bringing the regiments up , and the first that occurs , we will slip in and get over . The men may as well lie down at once and get a good night . '' It needed somewhat close packing for the men to rest themselves , but the crowding was more than counter balanced by the warmth , and it was not long before all were asleep . At one o'clock in the morning , they were awakened by a tremendous cannonade . All the forts round Paris had suddenly opened fire upon the German positions . Believing that the enemy must have obtained a knowledge of the approaching sortie and were anticipating it by assaulting the forts , the colonel ordered the men to stand to their arms . In an hour the firing ceased and all was quiet again .