Sentence:  The soldier who was pulling at the other end was clumsily unhorsed, and I myself was all but thrown by the unexpected jerk. This ludicrous incident at first provoked mirth among my <WSD>escort</WSD>, a mirth which their superstitious minds immediately turned into an ill omen. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A group of people or vehicles, generally armed, who go with a person or people of importance to safeguard them on a journey or mission.