At the house, Earl and Virgil stood in the courtyard watching as Bradford, and his men took their positions in the walled courtyard. Fifteen men lined up in three rows of five, one behind the other. Each man held a short, double-barreled ten-gauge shotgun at port arms, an arm"s length from the man next to him. A leather pouch, its mouth held open by a wire-band, hung from a belt on the right hip of each man. Virgil and Earl could see the gleam of brass shotshells in the pouches.
Bradford moved to the left side of the front rank and ordered, “Take positions!”
The front rank remained standing, while the second and third ranks immediately knelt on one knee. Bradford spoke to Virgil and Earl.
“I got this idea from the Brits. The shells are empty and are used for the drill to protect the fir
