Sent to find the enemy's pickets—Suspicious circumstance—Sick child—Captures three citizens standing picket—Releases them—Falls asleep—Perilous situation—Fortunate turn of affairs—Attack on the pickets—A very pious man—He proves a rebel spy.
Sent to find the enemy's pickets—Suspicious circumstance—Sick child—Captures three citizens standing picket—Releases them—Falls asleep—Perilous situation—Fortunate turn of affairs—Attack on the pickets—A very pious man—He proves a rebel spy.
About a week after my attempts to get into the rebel camp near Wash. Newbern's, General Ross sent me down to the corners, at Newbern's lane, to ascertain whether the enemy had any pickets there. I was ordered to take three men with me, and to be very cautious in my movements, and, if I found any pickets near the place designated, not to fire into them, but to come immediately back and report. The place I was to visit was seven miles from Bolivar; we started out after 9 o'clock in the evening; I was mounted on a mule, but the three men that accompanied me were on foot. It was a starlight night—not so dark but that we could discern objects at a considerable distance, and yet dark enough to facilitate our movements.
Five miles from Bolivar, we came to a house occupied by Mr. John Ursury, and, as we approached it, we observed in it a light. We had moved along very slowly, and it had then got to be past 11 o'clock. Thinking it was rather strange that a lightshould be burning there at that hour of the night, I resolved to ascertain the cause of it.
Taking one man with me, and sending the other two to the rear of the house, to capture any persons that might undertake to escape, I rode up to the front door, with my revolver drawn, and, without dismounting, lifted the latch and shoved the door wide open. The persons present were Mrs. Ursury and children, one of them a small child, and a brother of John Ursury, about fifteen years old.
"What are you doing here with a light at this time of night?" I inquired.
"We have got a sick child," replied Mrs. Ursury, "and we are doctoring it."
"It's best to see whether the child is sick or not," said the man that accompanied me. He then went in and found it awake in the cradle, and, stranger as he was, soon had the child in a frolic, laughing and playing.
"It's a curious sickness that that child has got," said the man, coming out.
I then called the brother out, and, pointing my revolver at him, said: "There is something going on here besides doctoring a sick child, you young d—l, you! and if you don't tell me in a minute what it is, I'll blow the heart right out of you!"
"Mr. Bunker," said he, "is there any forces coming along here?"
"Yes, there is a large force coming."
"Well, my brother is standing watch up by the railroad. Hadn't I better go up and tell him to come down?"
"No; you go into the house and stay there. I'll go after him myself."
I then called my men and went into the road, where I ordered them to remain until I should call. I then rode forward to see what was going on. When I came in sight of the railroad crossing, I saw five men; three of the men were mounted and two were not; they did not seem to have any arms. I called to my men to come on, and then dashed up to them with revolver drawn, and demanded of them to surrender. As I was dashing up, the two that were not mounted fled, and the other three stood their ground.
"Don't shoot us, Mr. Bunker! Don't, for God's sake!" called out Mr. Ursury, who at once recognized me.
"March down into the road, then, if you don't want to be shot! Fine business, this! Good loyal men standing picket for rebel soldiers! March down there! I'll see about this."
I then marched them over to where I had left my men, who, failing to hear me call, had remained where I left them. One of the prisoners was an old, gray-headed preacher, by the name of Parson Hamers; I have forgotten the name of the other. The two that I have named I had seen several times before.
"What were you doing there at this time of night?" I inquired.
"We were watching for some niggers to come along that ran away from my brother-in-law," said Ursury.
"Who were those two men with you that ran away?"
"I don't know," replied Ursury.
I asked the other two, and they denied knowing who they were.
"Well, I can tell who they were," I continued. "There are rebel forces over in Mr. Dickens' woods, and those men belong to them, and you men were standing picket for them." This they stoutly denied, and said that if there were any rebel forces there they did not know it.
Addressing Parson Hamers, I said; "You are an old, gray-headed man—a preacher of the Gospel; you ought to be ashamed of yourself. An old man like you, with one foot in the grave and the other just ready to slip in, out at this time of nightwatching for niggers! That's a fine excuse! It don't look reasonable. You are a d—d old rebel, with the oath in your pocket, and you deserve to be shot!"
I did not know what to do with them; I had two miles further to go, and it was necessary for me to take all my men with me, and to be encumbered with prisoners, in case we should run into a force, would be hazardous. I finally took down their names and released them, and then went on.
Finding no pickets at Newbern lane, we returned. On arriving at the railroad crossing where I had captured the prisoners, I sent my men to camp by way of the railroad, which was a much shorter route than the wagon-road, and kept on myself the way I had come out.
Having slept but very little for several nights, byreason of being out on scouts, after parting company with my men I became very sleepy, and experienced considerable difficulty in keeping awake, and at last fell asleep.
All at once my mule came to a sudden halt, throwing up its head as if something was wrong. The movement woke me up, and there, stretched across the road, was a line of soldiers bringing their pieces to a ready. I could plainly hear the click-ick-ick as they cocked them, for they were not more than fifteen yards from me. I can not describe the horror and alarm that I felt at my situation; it was of no use to run, so I resolved to put on a bold front and sell my life as dear as possible. Surrender! no, never! thought I, if I die the next instant.
"Who comes there?" said I, drawing my revolver.
"Advance and give the countersign!" said the officer in command of the soldiers.
"Who are you?" said I.
"No matter!" said he; "advance and give the countersign."
"I sha'n't advance a step until I know who you are!"
"Well, you advance one," said he, "and I'll advance one."
"Very well; come on!"
As we met, each with revolver cocked, the officer exclaimed, "Why, Bunker! Is that you? I am frightened to think of it! Why didn't you stop? In an instant more my whole company would have fired into you!"
"I was asleep, Captain! Itwasa narrow escape, wasn't it?"
"Indeed, it was!"
It was no other than Captain Ayres and company A, of the 20th Ohio, sent out as a support for me to fall back on if I was discovered by the enemy and pursued. They had been sent out after I left, and I had no knowledge that they were coming. The result of it was, I camevery near falling back without any support!
My suspicions of a rebel force being in Dickens' woods was confirmed in the morning by an attack on our pickets, by a force of five hundred men, by which two men of the 23d Indiana were wounded. After firing into the pickets, the enemy made a detour to the north-west of Bolivar, and there encountered a large Federal foraging party, that fired into them and killed seven, which made them skedaddle.
The next day I was sent out with a party of nine men to procure forage. Having found a fine lot of honey, some fresh butter, and a quantity of chickens, we loaded them into an open buggy, confiscated a mule to draw it, and then bent our way back to camp. We had proceeded but a little way, when I discovered a man a short distance ahead. As soon as he saw us, he sat down in the shade of a tree in a bend of the road, pulled out a Testament, and commenced to read. Coming up to him, I said, "Daddy, how do you do?"
"By the grace of God, I am well, and I hope you enjoy the same blessing," was his answer.
"You are mighty good, a'n't you? You are a soldier, I suppose."
"No, gentlemen, I am not a soldier. By the providence of God, I am a preacher of the Gospel pure."
"Look here, daddy; don't you know that this country is invaded? Over there lies the Federal army, and yonder the Confederate army. What business have you to be prowling about between the lines of the two contending armies?"
"I have got a Federal pass," said he, handing me one signed by General Ross, "and I have taken the oath. I have no connection with the Confederate army."
"Well, daddy, you don't look like a man with a clear conscience; we must search you." We proceeded to search him, which resulted in finding, in a leg of his pantaloons, between the outside and lining, a map eighteen inches by twenty-two, representing exactly our fortifications, intrenchments, camp, and picket line at Bolivar. It was skillfully executed, and was as accurate as it could well be made. Our discovery of the map took away the old man's sanctimonious dignity. "This is one of your sermons, I suppose!" I remarked, as I drew out the map. "A fine subject for a minister of the Gospel!" He dropped his head and made no reply.
"Now, daddy, you look tired; you get into the buggy and ride." So the old man got in. "Now, boys, take the rope from the mule's neck and put it on the old man's neck." So they changed places with the rope. By this time the man lookedterribly frightened, and as white as a ghost. "One of you that is good at climbing mount that tree." There was a limb from the tree where the old man had been sitting, that extended out over the road where we had halted the buggy. To this the rope was made fast. Every thing being ready, I said, "Daddy, you are in a hurry to get to Canaan, and we are in a hurry to get to camp, so good day, sir." Our mule then gave a desperate plunge, leaving him to travel his journey alone to that place where, by the grace of God, he'll have no use for maps of Federal fortifications.
I carried the map to General Ross, and related to him the circumstances of its capture.
"Did you bring the man in?" he inquired.
"No, sir; we have brought in several disloyal characters, and they have all managed to get released; for that reason we thought it not worth while."
"You let him go, did you?"
"Yes, we let him go—by the jerk!"
General Ross sent the map to General Grant, then at Jackson, Tenn., accompanied with the particulars of its capture.
Sent to Somerville—Finds himself a prisoner—Taken to Cold Water—Meets with old acquaintances—Is paroled—Runs with the 2d Arkansas Cavalry—Goes to Lumpkins' Mills—Interview with General Price—Stays all night with his brother, the rebel General—Return to Bolivar—Reports to General Ross—"Steals the Colonel's horse," and returns to the enemy—Runs away from the enemy.
Sent to Somerville—Finds himself a prisoner—Taken to Cold Water—Meets with old acquaintances—Is paroled—Runs with the 2d Arkansas Cavalry—Goes to Lumpkins' Mills—Interview with General Price—Stays all night with his brother, the rebel General—Return to Bolivar—Reports to General Ross—"Steals the Colonel's horse," and returns to the enemy—Runs away from the enemy.
About the middle of September, the enemy having disappeared from our immediate front, General Ross sent me to Somerville, with instructions to reconnoiter the country all about, and find out, if possible, where the enemy had gone to, and such other information as I could obtain.
I started out quite early in the morning, mounted on a mule, dressed like a citizen in easy circumstances. Whenever I met a planter, I would stop and converse with him about the "news from our army," and the prospects of the war, and the "d—d thieving Yankees that were robbing us of our cotton and niggers." In the course of such conversation, I learned there were no rebel forces in that immediate vicinity. About noon, I reached Somerville. There I found every thing quiet as a Sabbath morning. Passing through the town, I took the road to Moscow. Coming to a large, fine brick house that stands near the railroad depot, I drew up and alightedfrom my mule, and went in, in pursuit of some dinner.
"Stranger," said I, addressing an elderly gentleman that I found on entering, "can I get some dinner here?"
"I reckon so," he said, handing me a chair; "dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Sit down."
I complied.
"Where do you belong?" he inquired.
"My home is in Memphis, Tennessee, but"—
Just then I was interrupted by the entrance of two men, who came in from an adjoining room, one of whom asked me where I belonged.
"I was just saying to this gentleman," I replied, "that my home is in Memphis, Tennessee, but I came from Bolivar here."
"Do you belong to the Federal army?"
"No, sir; I am a citizen of this State, and my home, as I said before, is in Memphis."
"How came you to be in Bolivar?"
"I went out there to see General Neely and Doctor Coleman, and the Adamses, and several others that I am acquainted with, and when I got in there the Yankees would not let me out when I wanted them to, and I had to remain there several days."
"Did you get a pass from the Yank's to get out with?"
"Yes, sir; but it only passed me out, and was retained by the pickets."
"Have you got any fire-arms or papers with you?"
"No, sir; I had a nice navy revolver that I carried to Bolivar, but I was obliged to leave it with anacquaintance when I left, to keep the Yankees from taking it away from me."
"Well, sir, you may consider yourself my prisoner, and after dinner we'll go down to Cold Water and see what they can do for you there."
"Gentlemen," said I, "I am no Yankee soldier. I am a citizen, and I can't see what object you can have in taking me there."
"It don't matter whether you do or not. I think that they will have some use for you."
Dinner was then announced as ready, and we all sat up. "I think that they will have some use for you!" reverberated through my brain, and set me into a train of thought any thing but agreeable,I'm to be a conscript then!thought I. I tried to suppress my feelings, and feigned to be cheerful, as if nothing had occurred to disturb my equanimity. In fact, my only hope was in appearing cheerful.
When dinner was over, the two men had their horses brought out, and we all three mounted and started for Cold Water, forty miles distant. On the way I kept up a cheerful conversation, and on several occasions I had my butternut friends convulsed with laughter. I found out that the man who had made me a prisoner was Captain Daniels, a noted guerrilla, and the other person was a Quartermaster.
At 2 o'clock, A. M., we reached the outpost near Cold Water, where we halted until daylight, and then went in. As we were going in, we met a soldier, who, when he saw me, called out, "Hallo, Ruggles, is that you? Where in the h—l have you been? I hav'n't seen you since we made shingles together on White River!"
"I'm a prisoner," said I.
"A prisoner? the h—l you are!"
"Yes, Captain Daniels, here, captured me at Somerville, yesterday."
"Ha, ha! capturedyou? Why, Captain, I have known that man for years, and made shingles for him on White River, in Arkansas, and he is as loyal to the Confederate cause as you are! There are five or six other boys here that know him as well as I do!"
Captain Daniels then took me to the head-quarters of the regiment, and there I found, in the Colonel, another man that I was well acquainted with. His name was Slemmens; he used to be prosecuting attorney at Napoleon, Arkansas. When I entered his quarters—
"Lord bless me!" he said, "if here a'n't Ruggles! How are you?"
"Pretty well, I thank you. I am glad to meet you. I didn't know that you was in the service. The last time we met was at Napoleon, I believe."
"Yes; but pray what fetched you here?"
"Captain Daniels captured me and fetched me here."
"Capturedyou?"
"Yes; I told him I was a citizen of the South, but he did not believe me."
"I have known Ruggles these six years, Captain; he's all right. But, then, never mind—I see! we'll make him count one in exchange. I'll parole him. Where did you capture him?"
Daniels told him the particulars of my capture, and that I had been in Bolivar several weeks.
"Well," said the Colonel, "I'll parole him."
"Do you know the name of any Colonel in Bolivar, and the regiment that he commands?"
"Yes, I know one; his name is Force, and he commands the 20th Ohio Infantry."
"Well, that will do as well as any."
He then paroled me as belonging to the 20th Ohio Infantry, commanded by Colonel Force.
Captain Daniels and the Quartermaster then left me with Colonel Slemmens, and returned toward Somerville. My old acquaintances all got together at the Colonel's quarters, and we had a right lively visit. They were all urgent to have me join the regiment, and I finally consented to run with them awhile, and promised to join if I liked the regiment. I had found out, by this time, that the regiment was the 2d Arkansas Cavalry, and was there on outpost duty. It had been raised in a part of Arkansas where I was well acquainted. There was no other regiment there at that time. The principal part of the rebel forces in Northern Mississippi were then camped at Lumpkins' Mills, seven miles south of Holly Springs.
Among the acquaintances that I made during my stay in the regiment, was the Lieutenant-Colonel and the regimental sutler. The former was a Methodist clergymen, by the name of Rosebrook. He was very urgent in his endeavors to have me join the regiment.
Two days after my arrival, the regiment received orders from General Villipigue to move to Gun Town, on the Ohio and Mobile Railroad, seventy miles distant. I went with it. There it receivedorders from General Van Dorn to go to Ripley. We remained at Ripley a few days, during which time we made two or three cotton-burning trips. We then received orders to go back to Cold Water.
From Cold Water I accompanied Colonel Slemmens on a visit to Lumpkins' Mills. While there we called on General Price, and I was introduced as a brother of GeneralRuggles. In the conversation that was had with Colonel Slemmens and myself, General Price learned that I did not belong to any organized regiment, but that I had temporarily attached myself to the 2d Arkansas Cavalry. He told me that I would have to be assigned to some regiment as a conscript. I objected to that. He said that it would have to be done, and unless it was done I could not draw any pay or subsistence from the Confederate Government.
"General," said I, "the Southern Confederacy is ofmore consequenceto me thanpay. I did not come into the army forpay. I have got six hundred dollars in my pocket, and I intend to fight on that until it is gone. I have got a rich sister in Memphis, and when that is gone, I will go to her and get more. Besides, I can do more good as I am, because when there is a fight coming off any where, I can go into it, but if I am fast, I can only go where the regiment goes to which I belong."
"Well," said the General, "perhaps you can do the most good as you are; you may remain so."
In the afternoon of the day before we were to return, General Price sent me word that my brother, GeneralRuggles, had arrived. I immediately wentto head-quarters to see him. He expressed great delight at meeting me, and called me "Bub," as he used to do when at home, though I was forty years old. The Adjutant-General assigned us a tent by ourselves, and I remained with my brother all night. He had not been to Ohio for a great many years, and he was very much interested in learning the changes that had taken place in the neighborhood where he was raised. All I learned of him about the army was, that his command was near Baton Rouge, La., and that he had come there on business pertaining to his command. He did not ask me where I lived, nor allude to the subject of the rebellion. He knew that I had spent a great portion of my life in the South, and, naturally enough, supposed that I was identified with her interests.
In the morning I returned with Colonel Slemmens to Cold Water. I had learned, by this time, a great deal of information, and had been absent a much greater length of time than I had calculated on when I left Bolivar, and I began to feel anxious to get back and report. I had become quite a favorite with Colonel Slemmens, and I could generally get from him any favor that I asked for.
"Colonel," said I to him, the next morning after we returned, "all the rest of the boys have got horses of their own, and I have got nothing but that little mule of mine to ride, and I want something else. Can't you make a cotton-burning trip up into the vicinity of Bolivar? While I was there I found one regiment of Yankees camped out a little distance from the other regiments, and the Colonel ofit has got a splendid horse; if you will go, I can get in there and capture it."
"Pshaw! You could not get into the lines if you were there!"
"Yes I can; I know right where to get in, and if I don't getthathorse I'll get some other. I'm bound to have a horse."
"Well, I can't go now, but I'll see about it."
I waited two days, and then tried him again.
"Colonel," said I, "what do you think about that cotton trip to Bolivar now? I'm gettingveryanxious for that horse."
"If I thought you would succeed, I'd go."
"IknowI'll succeed."
"How close can we get without getting into the Yankee pickets?"
"We can get as far as Jonathan Herse's place, and there you can halt until I go in and return."
"Well, then, I'll take five companies and we'll go up there to-day, and we'll have every thing ready to start at 10 o'clock A. M."
At the appointed time we started, and moved along rapidly until we reached Herse's plantation. It was in the night when we reached there. The Colonel retained three companies, and sent two, under command of a Captain, with me, with instructions to stop at such a place as I should designate, and wait three hours for me to return, unless I returned sooner, and if I did not come back at the end of that time, to return without me.
We went on until we came within about four hundred yards of the pickets, where I had theCaptain halt his men, and, leaving my mule, I went on. I found the advanced picket right where I expected to. He was on the alert, and challenged me as I came up. There I cautioned the officer in command of the pickets to be on the alert, for two companies of rebel cavalry were within rifle-shot of him. The pickets were all called up, and I was sent, under guard, to General Ross. I had him called up, and reported to him what I had learned, and told him that, in order to carry out my plans, I wanted an order on the Quartermaster for a number one horse. I also told him that I would leave my mule on Mr. Herse's plantation, and requested him to send a forage party out the next day and bring the mule in. He gave me the order, and I went immediately to C. C. Williams, Assistant Quartermaster, and woke him up, and told him I was in a great hurry and wanted the horse then.
However strangely he may have thought of my movements then, I am sure that when he reads these pages he will know why I disturbed him at that unusual hour of the night. He furnished me with a beautiful nag. With an old gun-sling and canteen strap I rigged up a sort of bridle, mounted the horse, and returned to my rebel escort.
On my return, I was in ecstasies of delight over "my captured" nag. I told the Captain that I had stolen it from a Colonel, and that I found it not twenty yards from his quarters, and that I tried to steal his saddle, bridle, and holsters, but his d—d nigger was sleeping with his head on the saddle and I could not get them without waking him up.
The men were all highly interested with the narration of my exploit, and not only conceded that I "was a h—l of a fellow," but "that I had got a d—d good horse." We then returned to Herse's plantation, and I awoke the Colonel to show him my prize. He was as much delighted as the rest had been.
It was by this time daylight, and we started for Cold Water; I left the mule, as I had agreed to do, on Mr. Herse's plantation. On our way back we burned considerable cotton. I remained a few days longer at Cold Water, and then accompanied a detachment to Saulsbury to burn cotton; from there I ran away and returned to Bolivar. My mule had been brought in as I requested, and so I exchanged my horse for it. I had been gone in all twenty days.
Sent to Grand Junction to capture guerrillas—Suspicious incident—Strategy to get out the guerrillas—Orders disobeyed—The rebel flag—The very kind secesh lady—The mistake—Out of the frying-pan into the fire—Guerrillas watching for them—The attack—The prisoner—The result of the trip.
Sent to Grand Junction to capture guerrillas—Suspicious incident—Strategy to get out the guerrillas—Orders disobeyed—The rebel flag—The very kind secesh lady—The mistake—Out of the frying-pan into the fire—Guerrillas watching for them—The attack—The prisoner—The result of the trip.
A part of the duties assigned me, in the many trips I made to Bolivar, was to hunt up guerrilla organizations, learn their intended movements, and make arrangements for their capture. During my scouts, I had learned that there was an organized band of guerrillas at Grand Junction. On reporting the fact to General Ross, he requested me to go down and capture them, and gave me for that purpose a force of one hundred infantry, under command of a Captain, and forty cavalry, under command of a Lieutenant, with instructions to the officers that they should obey my orders in whatever plans I should choose to adopt. I was also furnished with a train of ten four-horse teams and wagons, and was instructed to let the infantry ride out, and, on my return, to load the wagons with forage.
It was about sundown when the detachment moved out from Bolivar. I rode about one hundred yards in advance, then came the cavalry, and in the rearthe train bearing the infantry. My dress on this occasion was that of a citizen.
When the last lingering rays of daylight had disappeared, the night became extremely dark—so dark that it was impossible to distinguish friend from foe by the powers of vision. While crossing a piece of bottom land, with a forest of trees on each side of the road that seemed to make the darkness still more impenetrable, I met three persons. I saluted them with a "Good-evening," and inquired of them where they were going, and was told that they were going after some horses that had strayed away, and that they wanted to go on to Mr. Dickens' and stay all night, and resume the search for the horses in the morning. By this time the Lieutenant of the cavalry came up, and, on further inquiry, found that they had passes. He took their passes to examine, but could not find a match with which to make a light. He then concluded, from the feeling of the paper, that they were our passes, and allowed them to go on. When they passed the train, the infantry soldiers were sitting down in the bottom of the wagon-beds, and the most of them were asleep, and the men, in passing, probably did not discover any force but the cavalry.
When within three miles of Grand Junction, we halted and waited until nearly daylight, and then moved on to within a mile of the place. There I had the team's turned about, facing toward Bolivar, and gave the teamsters instructions to remain by their teams, and, if we were driven back, to push forward to Bolivar, if possible. I then moved thecavalry and infantry forward as noiseless as possible into the lane, within half a mile of town, and instructed the officers to remain there just half an hour, and, if I did not return, to make a dash into the town, for they might know by my absence that I was captured.
My plan was to leave my men there, and ride into town myself and find the guerrillas, and, if they were not concentrated, to find their leader and have him get out his men, to capture a small squad of Lincoln cavalry that I would report as feeding their horses near town, and while he would be getting out his men, I would reconnoiter to see if they were still there, tell the Federal officers where to place their men, and then go back and act as guide to the guerrillas.
Having given all the instructions that I thought were necessary, I rode on into town. As I drew up in front of the Percy House, the doors of the house were being opened, and "mine host" came out.
"Good morning, sir," said I, as he made his appearance.
"Good morning, sir," said he, eyeing me closely.
"Have we got any cavalry here?"
"No, there is none nigher than Davis Creek, three miles from here."
"Have we got any guerrillas here?"
"Yes, some. Why, what do you want?"
"Thar's a squad of Lincoln cavalry right up thar," said I, pointing toward my own men.
"Where are you from?" he inquired, as if uncertain whether I was right or not.
"Oh,Iam all right. I am just from Memphis, and, as I was coming in this morning, I saw a squad of Lincoln cavalry feeding their horses, and I would like to get out a squad ofourmen and go and capture them."
"Well, I don't know how many guerrillas there is here; but there is Captain Robison, that keeps the corner grocery, and lives across the street as you go round the corner; he is Captain of the band, and he can tell you all about it."
"Thank you;" and I started off to find him.
When I got round the corner, I saw a nigger coming from a house that I took to be the Captain's; so I waited till he came out to me. I learned from him that it was the Captain's house, and that he was at home. Just then I was startled by the tramp of horses. Knowing that it was not time for my men to come in, I very naturally supposed that it was rebel cavalry. I went back to the corner to see what it was, and there came my own men, the cavalry on a gallop and the infantry on a double-quick. Instead of waitingthirtyminutes, they had only waitedeight! I was vexed to have my plans, through disobedience of orders, spoiled; and more so, because I had learned from experience that all attempts to convict a guerrilla after he was captured would be futile unless he was caught with arms in his hands fighting against us. With the oath of allegiance in their pockets, and the use of their oily tongues, they invariably managed to get released.
We then arrested Captain Robison, and such other persons as, from their actions, we had reason to believe belonged to the band.
Captain Robison kept, in addition to the grocery, a billiard saloon, which had been a favorite resort in the summer for the Federal officers, while the place was being garrisoned by the brigade under command of General Leggett. One day, while engaged in playing a game of billiards, Lieut. P. M. Hitchcock, regimental Quartermaster of the 20th Ohio, having occasion to look under the table for something, discovered, fastened up underneath the table, a large rebel flag, which he captured and carried to camp. The flag had been secreted there when the Federal troops first took possession of the place, and the officers had played on that table every day for weeks without having discovered it.
Having secured our prisoners, we proceeded to make the citizens of the place furnish breakfast for the detachment. This they were reluctant to do, but finally submitted. When all had been supplied, we returned to the teams. The teamsters had not fared so well, and, as soon as I returned, they requested me to make arrangements for their breakfast. I told them to drive on and I would do so. I then rode on, to find a house that looked as if its occupants had a supply sufficient to furnish the breakfast, and forage for the horses and mules.
About four miles from Grand Junction, I came to a large brick house on the right-hand side, a short distance from the road. I opened the gate, entered the yard, and rode up toward the house, and, as I drew up to the door, an elderly lady came out, whom I addressed, and inquired if I could get breakfast there for sixteen men, and feed for a hundred and fifty horses.
Supposing me to be a secesh Colonel, she replied, "Well, yes, so far as breakfast for the men is concerned; but really, Colonel, about the corn, I don't know as I have got enough here to feed so many; but if you are a mind to be to the trouble to send over to my nigger quarters, about three-quarters of a mile from here, you can get all the corn you want."
"Thank you, madam. I will ride down and halt the train, and send the men up for their breakfast."
As I rode away, I heard her order the niggers to get the breakfast. I halted the train, and set the niggers (who were returning with us from Grand Junction) to cutting up corn from a field on the opposite side of the road for the teams. The infantry soldiers immediately began to scatter about the plantation, in search of horses and mules, of which we had gotten several at Grand Junction.
The thought now occurred to me that I had been supposed by the lady to be a secesh Colonel, and that as soon as she saw the blue trousers, the getting of breakfast would be stopped; so I went back to the house to see about it. As soon as I came up, she met me at the door and commenced to complain.
"I thought that it wasour cavalrycoming; I was mistaken. Instead, I find that it is nothing but aparcel of confounded Lincoln jayhawkers!"
"We are all liable to mistakes, madam."
"Now, could you," she continued, "demand of apoor lone widow, like I am, breakfast for sixteen men and feed for a hundred and fifty horses?"
"The subject has changed appearancesconsiderably since I was here before. I'll see about breakfast myself."
I dismounted and fastened my mule, and then went to a wood-pile and procured a big club, and then repaired to the cook-house. The niggers had evidently commenced to get things ready for the breakfast, but had stopped.
"What are you about, you black, woolly scoundrels! Why a'n't you cooking breakfast?" said I, addressing the niggers.
"Missus dun tole us not to get de breckfust!"
"Well, you go right to work and get the breakfast, or I'll thrash h—l out of your black hides! Start right away!" At that I made for them with my club.
"Hole on! hole on, massa! we'll dun an' get de breckfust!"
They all sprang to work in good earnest. One of the niggers told me that the woman had locked up the meat. I started for the smoke-house door, with my club, to break it in, but the woman, who had been watching me, followed with the keys, and, when she saw that I was going in any way,beggedof me to let her unlock the door. On inquiry of the niggers, I found that she had butter locked up in a cupboard. I told her to get out some butter, and she declared she hadn't got a bit in the house. I walked toward the cupboard, with my club raised, without saying any thing further, when she came running to the cupboard, with the keys in her hand, saying, "Don't break it! don't break it! I'll get it out! I'll get it out for you! Do give a body time!"
By dint of perseverance, using a good many threats and some motions, I succeeded in having the breakfast made ready; which, having been accomplished, the teamsters were called in to enjoy it. While the teamsters were eating, a squad of soldiers came through the yard, with about thirty geese that they had confiscated. The lady saw them, and came to me to plead for them.
"Now,don'tlet the men take those geese;don't! they aregreat favoritesof mine, and Ihateto part with them!"
I had noticed, a few minutes before, a large, close pen in one corner of the yard, filled with nice, fat turkeys, which one of the darkeys had told me were being fatted to send to the rebel officers. The boys had not yet discovered them.
"Boys, put down those geese; don't be packing geese from here to Bolivar! Throw them down!"
"Why, Bunker!" they exclaimed, "you said we might get any thing that we wanted!"
"Throw them down!"
Down they went.
"Now, if you want any thing of the feathered tribe, pitch into those turkeys in that pen yonder," said I, pointing to it.
Away the boys went, a-flying.
"Good Lord! Now don't! don't get those turkeys!I'd rather you had tookevery gooseon the place!"
"Youarein a bad fix now, a'n't you?" said I. "Right out of the frying pan into the fire!"
Just then a little nigger girl came running in, and said:
"Missis, de Yankees dun got Lucy!"
"Where?" inquired the lady.
"Right out dat ar way," said the girl, pointing in the direction.
"Well now, I declare!Don'ttake that riding nag away from me, a poor lone widow, as I am;don't! Have alittlemercy on me;do!"
"Yes!" said I, "you are amighty poor widow! worth two hundred thousand dollars, and paying an overseer a thousand dollars a year; you aremighty poor! Soldier, fetch that mare back, and let thepoor widowkeep the d—d p—t-g—tt-d thing! It a'n't worth riding to Bolivar!"
As soon as breakfast was over, we again moved on. When within two miles of Van Buren, near where the Whitesville road takes off to the left, a little incident occurred to attract our attention. As I was riding along, in advance of the detachment, I saw a nigger coming up the road toward me, with his hat in his hand, and running as fast as he could, and appearing to be wonderfully excited about something.
"What's up?" said I, as I met him.
"Thar's a heap ob de secesh cavalry down by Massa's house, and dey are gwine to git you all!"
Here, then, was something to do. I was well acquainted with the features of the country all about there, and I knew where they would most likely be posted, and which way they would retreat if we were too much for them. I was also well satisfied that the enemy consisted of Hall's guerrillas, from Saulsbury, and that the men that we had met on our waydown belonged to them, and, instead of going to Mr. Dickens' to stay all night, had gone down to Saulsbury and got out the band to capture our train, not knowing that we had any infantry force along.
I sent the Captain, with fifty men, to the right, to get to their flank in a piece of woods, where I was sure they would attempt to escape if we overpowered them. The Captain had a corn-field to cross, in reaching the woods, that would cover his men from view. I was to watch from the top of the fence, and see the Captain deploy his men in the woods, before ordering an attack in front.
I watched until I knew that the Captain had had plenty of time to have reached the woods; but, for some reason, he had not made his appearance. I waited as long as I thought it would do, and then, leaving ten men to guard the prisoners, I ordered the cavalry to charge, supported by the balance of the infantry.
As we dashed over the hill toward the house, a man was seen on the top of a large gate-post, watching for us to approach. He evidently had underestimated our force, and had not looked for a charge. In the yard by him was a splendid mule and a new saddle. He gave a look at them and then at us, and then broke for the corn-field on foot, leaving his mule and saddle for us. The saddle was a new one, and, I learned by the people in the house, belonged to Captain Richardson, who happened to be there, and was helping Hall's guerrillas to capture us. The saddle cost him thirty-seven dollars, and he had just received it the night before. As soon as theguerrillas discovered that we were charging on them, they fled to the woods where I had ordered the Captain to deploy his men, and they all escaped but one. The Captain had halted his men in the corn-field, and did not take them into the woods; had he done so, we might have captured the whole band, numbering, in all, thirty men.
The prisoner that we captured declared that he was no guerrilla, but a citizen; he told us that he lived in Memphis. At Van Buren, Mrs. Moore told me that she knew him, and that he was one of their nearest neighbors, and one of the finest men living in the county. At Mr. Marshall's we found a collection of neighbors, engaged in burying a child near the roadside. Mrs. Marshall, whom I saw there, told me that she knew him, and that he lived in Tupelo, Mississippi, and that he and his wife were out there on a visit, and that his wife was present somewhere in the gathering.
Just then the wife saw her husband, a prisoner, and she began to make a dreadful fuss, crying and wringing her hands, and begged of the Lieutenant to let him go; "for," said she, "I know that he willnevertake the oath, and they willhang him, sure, and I shallnever, never see him again in this world!"
The Lieutenant passed on with his prisoner, and I remained behind until after the detachment had all passed, when I started on. Before overtaking them, I met the prisoner, coming back, with a written statement, signed by the Lieutenant, stating that he had been released. Before reaching Bolivar, the wagons were loaded with forage. Aside fromthe forage, mules, and contrabands that we gathered, the expedition was a failure.
The men we arrested at Grand Junction all managed to get released. I felt mortified at the result, because I felt sure that, if my plans had been carried out, we might have made a brilliant little affair of it. General Ross reprimanded the officers severely for not having obeyed my instructions.
The reader can see by the foregoing what might have been done on that expedition; yet it was a failure, because the parties concerned neglected to obey orders. It is a parallel case, on a small scale, to numerous others of greater magnitude, in the prosecution of the war.
Captain Richardson, who made his escape in the corn-field, has since been made a Colonel of a rebel regiment, raised near Lafayette, Tenn.