One evening stands out by its beauty and unconscious greatness. It happened thus. Remember how young many were, and it is small wonder if depression came at times. After the trying trench warfare before Kut had come the rush to Baghdad, a period of strain and tremendous effort. We had been fighting and marching continuously for many weeks, with every discomfort and over a cursed monotonous plain, without even the palliation of fairly regular mails. When men have been 'going over the top' repeatedly, emerging always with comrades gone, the nerves give way. We longed to be at that Istabulat position. Yet here we had to wait while Cailley's Column fought level with us, and day by day those sullen lines were strengthening. We had barely six thousand men to throw at them. So one night talk became discontented, and some one wished some reinforcement could be with us from the immense armies which our papers bragged were being trained at home. Then another--G.A. or Fowke--replied: Oh that we now had here But one ten thousand of those men in England That do no work to-day! Swiftly that immortal scene, of the English spirit facing great odds invincibly, followed, passage racing after passage. God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more! It was an electric spark. I never heard poetry, or literature at all, mentioned save this once. But all were eager and speaking, for all had read _Henry V._ When the lines were reached, Rather proclaim it, Westmorland, through my host, That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart, laughter cleansed every spirit present of fear, and the shadow of fear, misgiving. Nothing less grimly humorous than the notion of such an offer being made now, or of the alleged consequences of such an offer, in the instant streaming away of all His Majesty's Forces in Mesopotamia, could have made so complete a purgation. Comedy took upon herself the office of Tragedy. When voices could rise above the laughter, they went on: His passport shall be made, And crowns for convoy put into his purse. 'Movement-orders down the line and ration-indents,' was the emendation. We would not die in that man's company That fears his fellowship to die with us. And Fowke's voice towered to an ecstasy of sarcasm as he assured his unbelieving hearers that Gentlemen in England, now abed, Shall think themselves accursed they were not here. As a Turkish attack was considered possible, every morning we stood-to for that 'witching hour,' immediately before dawn, which is usually selected for 'hopping the parapet.' The brigades reconnoitred, and exchanged shots with enemy pickets. Fritz came, of course. Then the 19th Brigade went on, and took up a position two miles in front behind the Median Wall, of which more hereafter. The battle preparations went busily forward.