Dozens of men in plumed hats, helmets, breastplates and collars crowd a dim interior, holding muskets, pikes and a banner of spears. Two officers stride forward at the center, one in black with a red sash and the other in pale gold, and light falls on them most strongly.

A small girl in a glowing yellow dress, a drummer at the right edge and a faint dog near the lower corner add life to the crowd. The background sinks into deep brown shadow, and the contrast of bright faces and fabrics against the darkness gives the scene drama and a sense of movement.