He was taking no more chances--now he would blow the house into bits, and bury us in the ruins.

What should I do?
What ought I to do?
The entire burden of decision was mine.

Must I sacrifice these men who had already fought so desperately?
Should I expose Billie to almost certain death?
Surely we had done our full duty; we had held the house for hours, driving back two fierce assaults.

The fault was not ours, but those laggards out yonder.

I would tell Mahoney and Miles I was going to put out a white flag; that further resistance was useless.