noon
There had been no such stir in Pendleton since they heard of Buena Vista , where fifty of her sons fought and half of them fell . Despite the snow , the streets about the central square were full of people . Many of the men were reading newspapers . It was fifteen miles to the nearest railroad station , and the mail had come in at noon , bringing the first printed accounts of South Carolina 's action . In this border state , which was a divided house from first to last , men still guarded their speech . They had grown up together , and they were all of blood kin , near or remote . `` What will it mean ? ''