midnight
Everybody else was sound asleep , apparently , but there were some soldiers in the forward cars . Some of them got out and had a cup of coffee at the stand , and `` piled aboard as she pulled out . '' They had a prisoner , a deserter , in manacles . Then the chaplain wired to Duncan Switch , and the answer came that Mr. Willett left there , bound for Omaha , at midnight , and then he wired the conductor of the train at Grand Island , and later to Leonard at Omaha , then sat him down to wait and watch and pray . The sleeping-car , said the conductor afterwards , was fuller than usual that night . Some officers got aboard at Rock Springs , and sat up quite late , chatting with others who had boarded them at Butte and Pawnee . There were five officers in all .