rather had been so, until the doctor obtained the permission
of the commanding officer to use it as a temporary
surgery--the hospital being a distinct edifice between
the two block-houses. These latter, capacious for the
size of the fort, accommodated the non-commissioned
officers and men--the company being divided as equally
as possible between the two.

Without the whole of these buildings stood a strong
stockade, about twelve feet high, loop-holed for musquetry,
with a bastion at each angle, facing the four principal
points of the compass, on each of which was placed a
small gun, that the men had been trained to work. The
entrance to the fort was from the westward, and in the
direction of the agency house, which two of these bastions
immediately flanked.

The guard consisted of a non-commissioned officer and
nine men--three sentries being furnished for the necessary
duties--one for the stores already described--another
for the commanding officer's quarters--the mess-room and
the surgery, and the third for the, southern bastion,
upon which floated the glorious stars and stripes of the
Union. A fourth sentry at the gate had been dispensed
with, in consequence of the proximity to it of the
guard-house. This, was a small building immediately in
front of the hospital, which, with the gate, came
particularly under the surveillance of the non-commissioned
officer of the guard.