My presence strengthened the authority of the quartermaster in charge, Captain E.P.

Fitch, helped in steadying the men, and enabled him to enforce promptly his orders.

He stopped the noisy efforts to make the refractory mules move, and sent in haste for a fresh team.

As soon as it came, this was put in place of the balky animals, and at the word of command the train started quickly forward.

The fog had thinned enough, however, to give the enemy an inkling of what was going on, and the rattling of the wagons on the road completed the exposure.