"Who is the oldest captain?" he was asking of a sergeant.
The sergeant shrugged his shoulders most expressively.
"Who is the oldest lieutenant?"
"This gentleman, who came last night," replied the sergeant calmly.
The colonel smiled bitterly.
"Come, sir," he said to me, "you are now in chief command. Fortify the gorge of the redoubt at once with wagons, for the enemy is out in force. But General C– is coming to support you."
"Colonel," I asked him, "are you badly wounded?"
"Pish, my dear fellow. The redoubt is taken."