But though there were many who
wanted to give in and were dead sick of the whole thing, General
Elliott, the commander of the garrison, showed such dogged
determination, and insisted on such strict discipline, that he held
the garrison together.
His measures for defence were so successful that every man realised
that the real road to safety and success was strict obedience to his
orders. In fact, it was a case where obedience won the day. And they
loved and admired the old general, too, for his pluck, his humanity,
and his sense of humour.
On one occasion a man ventured to disobey an order that was given to
him, and when he was brought before the commander the General said
that if a man could disobey an order at such a critical time he could
not be in his right mind, he must be mad. Therefore he ordered that
the usual treatment accorded to a lunatic should be applied to the
offender. His head was to be shaved, he was to be blistered and bled,
and kept in a padded cell on a light diet of bread and water--and also
be prayed for in church,
Well, the General was quite right.
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