You do think strange things before sleep!! ;)

: What does anyone else think???

I think you are probably right that although only 30 gathered in haste made it to Pelennor(sp?) that others were following and would arrive as soon as possible to either assist in regaining the kingdom or to die resisting Sauron, but either way, this War of the Ring would be very important to Aragorn's kin. As for defending the hill and "risking" his family members or what was left of them, these would have been his "housecarls" and therefore his most trusted people and those he considered his best warriors, so in addition to protecting his very person, they would have been entrusted with the "tough" jobs. Also, this scene bears striking resemblance to William of Poitiers account of the battle of Hastings.