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The host was bivouacked in the pine-woods that clustered about Eilenach Beacon...
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"Bivouac" -- just took the time to look that up. Useful word.
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He [Merry] wondered, too, if the old King knew that he had been disobeyed and was angry. Perhaps not. There seemed to be some understanding between Dernhelm and Elfhelm, the marshal who commanded the eored in whichthey were riding. He and all his men ignored Merry and pretended not to hear if he spoke. he might have been just another bag that Dernhelm was carrying. Dernhelm was no comfort: he never spoke to anyone. Merry felt small, unwanted, and lonely.
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Even though Merry feels lonely, I think it's nice that the Rohirrim are acting, as if they know how badly he wants to fight alongside them and are willing to overlook the act of disobedience.
Ghan-buri-Ghan is interesting. He's described as pretty much everything that our hero men such as Aragorn and Faramir are not: short, squat, "thick and stumpy," hardly regal or lordly. His speech is harsh. And ten bucks says he hasn't got those noble grey eyes. But even so, he's clearly intelligent and a good and honest man, especially as we see when he says that if he leads the Rohirrim astray, they may kill him.
Theoden's speeches to his men are truly stirring. Here I can maybe see why some would say that it's a glorification of war, but it's really not. It's a depiction of men (and a lady
) going into battle with their heads held high, even though they don't expect to survive. As for the "joy of battle"... well, I guess you could find a grim sort of pleasure in taking down the enemy which is threatening your people and all that's good. It seems fine that they sing in battle. The Music of the Valar is supposed to be in and at the root of everything, so it makes sense that music should be a part of all aspects of life. A personal note, I think that anything stirring is worthy of music, no matter what's happening. A movie would be next to nothing without its score, after all.