Reports to Major-General
McPherson--Instructions--Disguise--Starts for
Vicksburg--Changes his route--Reports to General
Denver--Acquaintance with a cotton-buyer--Plan to make
money--Visit to guerrilla Sol. Street--The arrangement
consummated--Visit to General Price--Arrival at
Jackson--Robbed of his field-glasses--Introduction to
President Davis--Visit to Vicksburg--Visit to Edwards'
Station--Meets his bear-hunting comrades--Visits Black
River bridge--Robbed of his horse--The return--Reports to
General McPherson--Reports to General Grant.
Having fully determined to do no more detective service, I went to
Colonel Hillyer, of General Grant's staff, and told him that I was
desirous of making a trip to Jackson, Mississippi, and also to
Vicksburg, and that General Ross had frequently promised me an
opportunity of doing so. The Colonel said that he was not only willing
but desirous that I should do so, and that, as General Grant had gone
down to Milliken's Bend, I had better report to General McPherson, and
tell him what I wanted. I did so, and was informed by the General that,
as I was a stranger to him, if Colonel Hillyer wanted me to go, he must
give me a written order to that effect. On reporting back to the
Colonel, he gave me a written order, and on that authority General
McPherson at once gave me his instructions, and furnished me with funds
to supply myself with an outfit. I also received from Colonel Hillyer a
large roll of Confederate money, with which to bear my expenses.
My instructions were to go down on the Hernando road from Memphis to
Grenada, and see how many troops were there, and whether the enemy was
fortifying at that place, and whether appearances indicated a
determination to remain there long. I was then to go on to Jackson,
Miss., and see how many troops were there, and ascertain, if I could,
from a reliable source, whether the rebs were still operating the
Confederate States armory at Columbus, Miss., or had removed it, as had
been reported, to the State of Alabama. Then I was to go to Clinton,
Miss., and see how many troops were there; and then to Edwards' Station,
and see how many were there; and then to Black River bridge, and see its
defenses, and gather all the information that I could concerning them,
and find out, if possible, how many forces were at Haines' Bluff; and
then return to Memphis, and if General McPherson was not there, to
follow down the Mississippi River until I found him.
When he had finished his instructions, I said to him, "General, I am
confident that I can get to Jackson, Mississippi, easy enough; but what
excuse can I make, or business can I pretend to have, that will call me
to Black River bridge? Why not instruct me to go on to Vicksburg, and
then there can be no suspicion on my visit to the bridge."
He replied, "Ruggles, the Government has sent six men into Vicksburg
already, and none of them have returned; it is of no use to send out men
unless they return. Act your pleasure about it, but go no further than
you can go and get back."
I felt uneasy about trying to go to Black River bridge without going to
Vicksburg, and I did not like to assume the responsibility without
saying something about it, for fear I might fail to get back. I decided
to go in only on condition that circumstances favored a certainty of
return.
The disguise that I chose was that of a well-to-do Southern planter,
accompanied by a servant--myself on horseback and my servant mounted
upon a mule. Spence went with me as servant. We were both of us richly
dressed. I carried on my shoulders a pair of field-glasses, and had in
my possession a splendid gold watch, which was furnished me as a part of
my outfit, and afterward given to me by General Grant. My hair, at that
time, was very long, hanging down upon my shoulders. I wore a very
broad-brimmed black hat.
Every thing being ready, I started out on the road leading to Hernando
on the morning of the 24th day of February, 1863. When we were fairly
outside of the Federal lines, Spence began to reflect on what the
consequences would be if I were found out to be a spy. After riding
several miles without saying a word, and appearing to be more than
usually serious, he said: "Mr. Bunker, a'n't you gwine right down in
among de rebils?"
"Yes; why?"
"If de secesh dun git us, won't dey hang us both?"
"You keep that to yourself; if you don't they will certainly hang us
both. Remember what I say: all you have to do is to obey me promptly at
all times. You must be my nigger--raised with me, and just a day and a
half older than I am. Do you understand me?"
"I spects dat I do."
"No matter," I continued, "how much I scold or boot you, you must carry
out the character of a tip-top genteel nigger waiter; and you must make
every body think that you have got the _best master_ in the world. Can
you do it?"
"I spects dat I can."
Spence was too deeply impressed with the reality of the situation to say
much; but, however much he feared the consequences of a discovery, he
acted well the part assigned him, and that, too, knowing the certain
fate awaiting him if my real character should be found out.
At the time that I started, the weather had been rainy for some time,
and the ground had become completely saturated with water, the roads
muddy, and the streams very high. I had gone but about twenty miles,
when I found that the bridges across the streams had all been destroyed
either by the enemy or swept off by the water, and that they were too
high for me to ford them.
I then turned to go back to Memphis, but I found that a squad of
guerrillas had got between me and the city. Not wishing to encounter
them, I made my way across to Lafayette, a town on the Memphis and
Charleston Railroad. At that place I found Brigadier-General Lee
(formerly Colonel of the 7th Kansas Cavalry). I called on him, and
requested him to inform General McPherson that on account of the high
water, I was unable to get through on the Hernando road. From Lafayette
I went to Lagrange, at which place I found General Denver. I requested
of him a pass to go through his lines. He inquired who I was. I told
him, and, to convince him, showed him the order Colonel Hillyer gave me
to scout, in Memphis; but, for some reason, best known to himself, he
took the order away from me. It was raining at the time I asked for the
pass, and I requested to have it dated for the next day. The Adjutant
remarked that if I had it dated a day ahead it would afford me a _fine
opportunity to see how many forces they had before I went out_. A pass
was granted me, however, to go out, but not to return, and I remained at
Lagrange until the next day. I think that General Denver doubted my
being a Federal scout. Not expecting to pass any Federal lines, except
when I left Memphis, I had no pass proper for the occasion, and showed
the order that I had for want of something better.
I put up at a house of entertainment kept by a Mr. Lee, where I met with
a cotton-buyer by the name of Hall, who was boarding at the same place.
In the course of our conversation, something was said about a noted
guerrilla by the name of Sol. Street. I remarked, "I don't see how it
comes that Sol. Street has managed to make himself so noted; he is a
man that very little was said about before the war."
"Do you know Sol. Street?" said the cotton-buyer.
"Yes, I have known him for ten or twelve years. I knew him when he lived
in Memphis, and then afterward when he lived on Island 40, and then
again when he moved up to the foot of Island 37."
"Now, see here," said Hall; "you want to make money and I want to make
money, and now is the time to do it. If you are acquainted with Sol.
Street, you can arrange the matter so as to make a handsome thing of it
for both of us."
"How so?"
"Well, I will tell you. Sol. Street has got about eighty guerrillas
stationed back in the country a few miles, and in their rear is a large
amount of cotton. I have seen it, and it is worth eighty cents a pound.
Sol. Street likes money as well as either you or I. Now, if you will see
him, and get him to give you a writing that he will withdraw his men for
ten days, and let Government teams in there, without molesting them, to
haul the cotton away, I will give Sol. one-half of the proceeds of the
cotton, at eighty cents a pound, and I will give you five thousand
dollars of my share, and you shall see the cotton weighed and carry
Sol.'s money to him."
"That would really be a nice little spec, wouldn't it?"
"Yes; and now is the time to strike."
"Well, I am going down into the Confederacy to be gone several days,
perhaps two weeks, and I will try and see Sol. Street and find out what
he will do about it, and I will let you know on my return."
"Well, do. I am sure that you can't make five thousand dollars easier."
In the morning, I resumed my journey, and had proceeded as far as
Waterford, when I accidentally come across Sol. Street. He immediately
recognized me as an old acquaintance. After conversing awhile, I said to
him, "Sol., you like to make money and so do I, and it don't matter much
how we make it, either. I know of a chance for both of us to make
something."
"Well, what is it?"
"There is a large lot of cotton in the country, to the rear of your men,
and there is a Yankee cotton-buyer, that has seen the cotton, who says
that it is worth eighty cents a pound, and that if you will agree to
withdraw your men for ten days, and allow him, unmolested, to haul the
cotton out with Federal teams, he will sell the cotton and pay over to
me one-half of the proceeds of the cotton for you, and will give me five
thousand dollars. What do you think of that, Sol.?"
"Will you be responsible to me for my share?"
"Yes, I will, and I think it is as fine a chance for you to make a
little fortune, and do it easy, as you will ever have. What do you say,
will you do it?"
"Yes, I will; I am bound to make money out of this war, and I don't care
a d--n how I do it."
"That's the understanding then, is it?"
"Yes, and when you get ready to have the cotton out, let me know it, and
I'll withdraw the men."
However well I had completed the arrangements, I had no intention of
participating in a traffic of that kind on my own responsibility. I
relate it merely that the reader may see one of the internal phases of
this monstrous rebellion. Others have made money in that way.
The journey from Waterford to Grenada was a painfully lonesome one. Not
a human being, save a few citizens at Oxford, were seen to enliven the
solitude that prevailed. Scarcely a living being was to be seen, save
perhaps, now and then, a poor, old, blind and crippled mule or horse, in
the last stages of starvation. Even the feathered songsters of the
forest seemed to realize the utter desolation that prevailed, and lent,
by their silence and seclusion, to that inexpressible gloom. Scarcely a
fence or plantation-house remained to mark the place where happiness and
prosperity had once existed. Huge chimney-stacks pointed out where the
consuming elements had been, and stood as monuments of retribution that
was being meted out to those whose folly had led them to participate in
their own fearful destruction. I involuntarily exclaimed, "Surely, the
way of the transgressor is hard!"
On my arrival at the rebel lines, near Grenada, I experienced no
difficulty in passing, and, without having met with any obstacles after
leaving the Federal lines, I found myself once more a sojourner in
Grenada. I found about 14,000 troops stationed there, composed of
infantry, cavalry and artillery, and considerably improved in appearance
since my last visit to the place.
I repaired at once to General Price's head-quarters, and there I found
General Wheeler, whom I have mentioned as having met before in the rebel
army, at General Van Dorn's head-quarters. I asked General Price for a
pass to visit Jackson, and for the privilege of leaving my horse and
mule with his head-quarter horses until my return, which was granted.
While there, I found out that General Wheeler had just received a permit
to visit Jackson, so I proposed to accompany him, to which he assented,
and we both took the cars together.
At the depot I met with an old acquaintance from Arkansas, from whom I
learned that three of my old bear-hunting comrades, by the names of
Samuel Teel, Henry Thomas, and Lemuel McIntosh, were in the 10th
Arkansas Infantry, and that the regiment was at Edwards' Station, four
miles from Black River. I knew that Teel had been a regular cane-brake
ranger, and I concluded that, if I could find him, I could contrive some
way to get safely to Black River bridge.
On our way down, General Wheeler told me that President Davis was to be
at Jackson, and that his business down there was to see the President.
The idea of seeing Jeff. Davis pleased me. I told the General that I was
glad to hear that the President was to be there, for I had never been so
fortunate as to have met him, and that I should be very happy to make
his acquaintance. He promised that if an opportunity occurred, he would
give me an introduction.
On our arrival at Jackson, we repaired at once to the Confederate
House, registered our names, and procured rooms. Before I had been shown
to my room, a General (I learned afterward) from South Carolina, stepped
up to me, and, taking my field-glasses from my shoulders and placing
them upon his own, said: "Citizens have no use for such things, and
Generals have."
"Take them, General; take them along, sir! I am willing to do any thing
for our Government. You are perfectly welcome, sir."
I knew that it would do no good to object, but I should have been better
pleased if he had as much as thanked me for them, but, instead, he
walked off with as much dignity as if "Monarch of all he surveyed."
Shortly after our arrival, I entered the sitting-room, in company with
General Wheeler, where we found President Davis and his attendants, and
Lieutenant-General Joe Johnston. Among the attendants were several
Generals, whose names I did not learn; one of them, however, had my
field-glasses. General Wheeler approached the President and introduced
himself, and then introduced me as a brother of General Ruggles. He also
introduced me, in the same way, to General Johnston.
[Illustration: HE THEN INTRODUCED ME TO PRESIDENT DAVIS AS A BROTHER OF
GENERAL RUGGLES.]
I remained at the Confederate House four days, at an expense of thirteen
dollars per day for myself and servant. During our stay, Spence came in
for his share of notoriety. He was remarkably attentive to my wants and
scrupulously exact in all his arrangements of my toilet. His own
clothing was richer than that of any body-servant at the hotel, and
he kept it perfectly clean. His superior dress helped him wonderfully in
carrying out the character he had assumed. It was really amusing to
observe his lofty and dignified bearing among those of his own color.
After having seen what I could to advantage in Jackson, I went to
General Johnston and showed him my pass from General Price, and told him
that I wanted him, if agreeable to his good will and pleasure, to give
me a permit to visit Vicksburg and return. I told him that I had some
friends in there, and, as we did not always know what might be the
fortunes of war, I was extremely anxious to see them. He made no
hesitation about it, but immediately ordered the required pass for a
period of ten days, subject to the approval of the Provost-marshal in
Vicksburg, whenever I wished to return.
I took the cars the same day, and went into Vicksburg, where I remained
two days. I found a force of ten regiments of infantry there, and, as
near as I could judge, 2,000 heavy artillery. From what I could learn,
there was at Haines' Bluff about 12,000 troops. The batteries along the
river were very formidable, and seemed to me sufficient, if well served,
to annihilate any water craft that might undertake to pass.
At the expiration of two days, I went to the Provost-marshal and got my
pass approved, and returned as far as Edwards' Station, where I had the
good fortune to find my old friends, whose names I have mentioned. They
were very much delighted to see me. Sam. Teel still carried his old
favorite rifle, which he called "Old Bill." Many a bear had I seen
succumb to its unerring aim. The next day after my arrival, Sam. Teel
procured a pass for himself and three others (mentioning our names) to
visit Black River and fish. We went directly to the bridge, and then
rambled up and down the stream as much as we pleased. Teel showed me how
they had blockaded the river below the bridge by sinking two small
steamboats, one a little above the other, to keep our gun-boats from
coming up to the bridge. The bridge and its approaches was guarded by a
force of 1,000 men. It was nearly night when we returned to camp. At
Edwards' Station, I found a force of 40,000 men. I remained there five
days, and then returned to Jackson on foot.
At Clinton, a smart little place, ten miles west of Jackson, I saw one
regiment of infantry. At Jackson there was but one regiment of infantry;
that was the 17th Mississippi Zouaves, called the "Pride of the
Confederacy," and armed with Colt's revolving rifles. I was informed in
Jackson that the armory at Columbus, Miss., had been removed into the
State of Alabama.
Having found out all that had been required of me in my instructions, I
thought it was best to return. Accordingly, I again visited General
Johnston, and requested a pass to Grenada, which was granted.
On arriving at General Price's head-quarters, I found that during my
absence my horse had been stolen. I made no complaint about it, but
continued my journey with my mule and servant. Just before night, on
the first day out from Grenada, I passed a stable that contained a very
good-looking horse. I proceeded on about two miles, and halted until
after dark, when, leaving my servant and mule until my return, I went
back and took possession of the horse.
We then rode all night, and the next day until nearly night, without
halting, for fear that the owner of the horse would get track of us and
follow on after. We succeeded, however, in making our way to the Federal
lines without difficulty.
On our arrival at Memphis, being unable to procure transportation down
the river for my horse and mule, I turned the former over to the post
Quartermaster, and left the latter at my old boarding place, on Adams
street. It was the same mule that had been given to me by General Ross,
and taken from me by the outlaws. I then took a steamboat passage to
Lake Providence, La., where I found General McPherson.
Having heard my report, the General expressed a doubt about the two
steamboats that I have spoken of being sunk in Black River, below the
bridge. In order to test my reliability, he questioned me about what
kind of a man General Wheeler was, his stature, weight, complexion,
etc., and let on that he was a very large man. I told him that he was
mistaken, or else the General Wheeler that he knew and the one that I
knew were two different persons. He then told me that he and General
Wheeler both attended the Military School at West Point at the same
time, and that he knew him well, and that I described him exactly. I
afterward had an opportunity of proving to him that I was correct about
the sunken steamboats, by taking him in person to the place and showing
him the remains of them.
After I had finished my report to General McPherson, he sent me to
General Grant, who was then at Milliken's Bend, La. I reported to him
all the particulars of my trip, even to the conversation that I had held
with Hall, the cotton-buyer, and Sol. Street, the guerrilla. I also
asked the General if there would be any harm in such outside
transactions. I told him that if I was allowed to do it, I could pay my
own expenses in the secret service, and thereby save that much expense
to the Government.
Said he, "Ruggles, don't you have any business transactions with
outlaws; if you do, I shall certainly disgrace you. Do a
straightforward, honest business for the Government, and then, if you
should ever need any assistance, come to me about it, and I will see
that you have all the help that you need. A good name, well earned, is
worth more to you than all you can make by unlawful traffic."
I think the General's advice was excellent. At all events, I have
followed it, and saved myself the disgrace that has since fallen upon
many, far my superiors in rank. I have never seen the cotton-buyer nor
the guerrilla since.