At length, after some two hours of the most strenuous work that those negroes had ever performed in their lives, we had done everything that it was possible to do; so, first stationing a dozen of our best men at various commanding points, to act as pickets and give us timely warning of the approach of the enemy, we went to breakfast, most of us with excellent appetites, although I am bound to admit that the ladies did not eat much.  When the meal was over, without any news from our pickets, I went out through an opening that we had purposely left in the front door barricade, and took a good look round.  Passing from picket to picket, I questioned each man closely as to whether he had seen any signs of the enemy; but they all replied in the negative.  Indeed, although I carefully scanned every open space I could see, even examining it with the telescope, not the faintest indication of lurking danger could I anywhere discover, although Montpelier was by this time a mere smouldering ruin, to all appearance utterly deserted.