Often I have gone to bed on Saturday night feeling that everything had been done in the way of arranging for the following day.

Battalions had been notified, adjutants had put the hours of service in orders, and places for the gatherings had been carefully located.

Then on the following day, to my intense disgust, I would find that all my plans had been frustrated.

Some general had taken it into his head to order an inspection, or some paymaster had been asked to come down and pay off the men.

The Paymaster's Parade, in the eyes of the men, took precedence of everything else.