his officers and conferring with them about the military situation. He
saw me come, yet not a muscle moved in his face, nor did he
interrupt his conversation. I was overwhelmed by the power this
man showed at that minute, and admit I had not the courage to
break the news to him, but it was unnecessary, for he understood.
The faithful orderly stepped forward, as I had bidden him, presenting
to the old man the pocketbook and small articles that belonged to
his son. While he did so he broke forth into sobs, lamenting aloud
the loss of his beloved lieutenant, yet not a muscle moved in the
face of the father. He took my report, nodded curtly, dismissed me
without a word, and turned back to his ordnance officers, resuming
the conversation.

I assumed the command of my platoon which in the mean time had
been assigned to do some outpost duty under the command of the
sergeant. I inquired about their position and went out to join them.
About midnight we were relieved, and when marching back, passed
the place where the tent of the brigadier had been erected. I saw a
dark figure lying on the floor, seemingly in deep sleep, and ordering
my men to march on I crept silently forward. Then I saw that his
shoulders were convulsively shaking and I knew that the mask of
iron had fallen at last. The night was chilly so I entered his tent in
search of his overcoat and laid it around his shoulders. He never
noticed it. The next morning when I saw him his face was as
immovable as it had been the night before, but he seemed to have
aged by many years.

The next day was a comparatively restful one. We fortified the
entrenchments which we had taken, and as our battle lines were
extended to the right, from being the extreme right we became