The watches were to be set as eight, each to stand guard one-fourth part of alternate nights, so that each man would get every other night undisturbed.
There were to be lieutenants, one for each of the four parallel divisions of the train; also eight sergeants of the guard, each of whom was to select and handle the men of the watch under him.

No wagon might change its own place in the train after the start, dust or no dust.
When Wingate ended his exposition and looked around for approval it was obvious that many of these regulations met with disfavor at the start.
The democracy of the train was one in which each man wanted his own way.
Leaning head to head, speaking low, men grumbled at all this fuss and feathers and Army stuff.

Some of these were friends and backers in the late election.

Nettled by their silence, or by their murmured comments, Wingate arose again.
"Well, you have heard my plan, men," said he.

"The Santa Fe men worked it up, and used it for years, as you all know.