I am writing in the office of Brigade Headquarters at the Crown
Hotel. It is a very comfortable room with a fire in it, and five
tables and a sideboard, with no end of papers spread on them all.
There are two Orderly Room clerks always writing or typing something,
and they always like either the Brigade Major or the Staff Captain to
be in the room, or at least on the premises. There are three
telephones. One direct to Sir John Spencer Ewart's room in Edinburgh
(Commander of the Forces in Scotland); another direct to General
Egerton at Bridge of Allan (Commanding the Lowland Division); and a
general telephone, which is kept going most of the day. There seems
to be an impression now that the 6th will not go for some time, and
that they have changed their minds about sending it without the 7th
and 8th: but this may be only rumour; it is difficult to tell when no
one seems to know, not even the Generals themselves.