"But in the first place, they were taken by surprise." "They ought not to have been," the doctor said angrily.

"They had news, two days before, brought by the cavalry, who ought to have defended that pass, but didn't." "Still, it was a surprise when we attacked," Charlie said, "for they could not suppose that the small body they saw were going to assail them.

Then, we had the cover of that snowstorm, and they did not see us, until we reached the edge of the ditch.

Of course, your general ought to have made proper dispositions, and to have collected the greater part of his troops at the spot facing us, instead of having them strung out round that big semicircle, so that, when we made an entry they were separated, and each half was ignorant of what the other was doing.

Still, even then they might have concentrated between the trenches and the town.