noon
They were not yet done with the business of deciding what punishment should be dealt out to Cox ; but that was entirely lost sight of in face of this apparent change in the situation . It seemed as if the store of provisions must be very low indeed , else the rations would not have been cut down so soon after the statements made by the quartermaster . It is true that there was no mutinous talk to be heard ; the fate of the deserters had taught the grumblers a lesson that would not soon be forgotten , but much was said that did not tend to improve the discipline . At noon word was passed among the men that the last of the votes on Cox 's case must be in the commandant 's hands within two hours , and it was generally understood , if not stated as a fact , that at nightfall we would hear the verdict . Then also , so nearly all the members of the garrison believed , Colonel Gansevoort would explain the reason for putting us on short allowance after having stated that we had food in plenty . Therefore it was the men went about their work as usual , content to wait until night ; but the commandant would have been unwise to keep them in ignorance longer . `` The only mistake that has been made in this business was when Colonel Gansevoort condescended to give out any statement while the men were ripe for mutiny , '' Sergeant Corney stopped to say to me , as I met him on the parade-ground while going to the barracks to summon some of the lads whose time for sentinel-duty had come .