E. C. Downs

“ 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.
[Pg 91] "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. ”

“ Said I to the latter, saluting him, "General Breman, you don't know me, do you?"
"Not that I know of."
"You don't remember of having me arrested in Tennessee as a rebel spy? I am a 'suspicious character;' you had better watch me."
"That's Mr. Ruggles, General," said General Force; "he's a useful man. He's a valuable scout."
"Ah!" said Breman, remembering his instructions to the officer of the day, and coloring slightly, "I didn't know what to make of you. I did suspect your loyalty."
"I'm loyal enough, but I am among the rebs so much that I sometimes act like one." ”

“ When back in the guard-house, and left to reflection, the words, "I shall use my utmost endeavors to have you shot," seemed to force themselves upon my mind with vivid impression. What could it mean, that an officer in the United States army should express himself so emphatically, as committed against us, when justice every-where holds a man to be innocent until he is proved to be guilty.
While I had been in camp getting my dinner, the Provost-marshal had released Mr. Perry, and had administered to him the oath of allegiance, and returned to him the property that we had taken. ”

“ 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. ”

“ I then showed him an order that General Leggett had given me to draw fresh beef for myself and scouts that messed with me. Having read it, he said, "It may all be right, but I don't want such a looking man in my regiment; if you have got a hole you had better hunt it."
We won a victory, but at a fearful cost of life, of both officers and men. Among the fallen heroes of this war, there has been none more amiable in character, none whose services were of more value to the Government, and none whose loss was more regretted by the men of his command than the brave, gallant McPherson. ”

“ There is great responsibility resting upon a scout and spy. If his reports are reliable, the commanding officer knows how to execute his movements successfully; but if his reports are false, and the commanding officer relies upon them as truth, his movements will, as likely as not, end in disaster, with a sacrifice of hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of lives.
It is far better for a scout, if he fails to accomplish his mission, to report it a failure, for, sooner or later, it will be found out. ”

“ When we had gone about half a mile, we met six rebel soldiers, of the 8th Kentucky Regiment, on their way to give themselves up. They had become tired of the rebellion, and were anxious to return to their homes. From them I learned that a raid upon Holly Springs was in contemplation by the forces of Generals Van Dorn and Tighlman. The rebel deserters were so candid in their statements that I deemed them reliable; and when we reached Waterford, where General Ross' division was encamped, I called at his head-quarters, to report what I had learned. ”

“ I then found that I had been captured by soldiers belonging to the 7th Kansas Cavalry. I tried to make them believe that I was a Federal soldier, and was scouting for the Government, but it was of no avail; they were not to be persuaded out of their prisoner.
We had traveled but a few hundred yards after taking the Water Valley road, when we met a negro, who was riding a splendid mule, with a nice saddle, bridle, and spurs, and was carrying on the mule, in front of him, a sack of corn-meal.
"Halt, you black devil!" said one of the soldiers. "Get off from that mule and let white folks ride!" ”

“ An adaptation of means to the end to be accomplished is of as much importance in scouting and spying, as in any other branch of business. The very business itself is an evasion of what you really are, or assuming to be what you are not; consequently, an evasion of the truth is often necessary to accomplish the purpose. To be successful as a spy, it is absolutely necessary to be able to act an assumed character. ”

“ Scouts sometimes get frightened; I have been. So do commanding officers and enlisted men. I have known a Major-General to dodge at the whiz of a bullet, and a whole regiment to become stampeded by a runaway mule! The best of men are sometimes the victims of fear. It should, however, be guarded against.
I made a practice of getting all the information that I could, without exposing myself to a danger of recognition, concerning the different regiments in the Confederate service. ”

“ Never but once was I in a situation where hope entirely left me, and that was when I was about to be shot as a spy by a Colonel of Bragg's cavalry; and even then I did not despair until the deadly weapon was being leveled at my heart.
[Pg 401] A spy should have as little superfluous or unnecessary conversation as possible. His information should mainly be derived by observation. I once came across a spy that General Grant had sent out, who was an inveterate talker. I was alarmed for his safety, and, as soon as an opportunity occurred, I said to him, "You talk too much. ”

“ Your country appreciates the value of such men, and, because of it, she now asks that you and I stand by that tattered flag for three years more. We know how it came by those shreds, and, as we gaze upon it, our hearts swell big with emotion in the recollection of the scenes through which we have passed. It is our blood that has spattered it, and our arms that have borne it and won for it glory. ”

“ Having no use for me, General Granger sent me to Columbus, Texas, a distance of one hundred and sixty miles inland, to report to General Grierson.
I made the journey alone and on horseback, dressed as a citizen. For the last year and a half of my service, I very rarely wore any thing but a citizen's dress. I occupied five days in making the journey, and got through to General Grierson's head-quarters without having experienced a single incident of interest. That kind of scouting was dry business to me. It is excitement that makes the life of a scout interesting. ”

“ Dear Sir—It affords me pleasure to state that I am personally acquainted with Mr. Lorain Ruggles, known in the army as 'General Bunker.' He belonged to my command, and I know he was regarded as one of the most intrepid scouts in the 17th Army Corps. He was in high favor with all our general officers, and I think rendered more efficient service in the capacity of scout and spy than any man with whom I am acquainted. He certainly deserves well of his country. ”

“ When passing myself as a citizen of the South, I have always found the people affable in their manners, sociable, and extremely liberal in their hospitality. Whenever an occasion was offered them of rendering any assistance which they supposed was furthering the cause they had espoused, their kindness and generosity knew no restraint.
Two miles further on is the residence of Captain Rose, to whom I paid a visit. Captain Rose had served in the United States army eleven years, and is one of your genuine Union men, and has always been loyal to the Government. ”

“ I rode along into town among the soldiers, as familiarly as if I belonged in the place, and stopped near the drug store. Standing within a few feet of the drug store, was a large, corpulent, red-faced old man, with hair almost white, leaning upon a walking-staff; near by was a Colonel, dismounted, and leaning with his left hand upon his saddle; all about were cavalry soldiers, dismounted. As I reined up, the old man pointed to me, and said, "Colonel, there is a d—d Yankee spy; he ought to be shot. I know him, Colonel, and know that he is a Yankee spy."
"If he is a Yankee spy he shall be shot." ”

“ 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."
[Pg 219] 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." ”

“ The flag of our country again proudly floats over the entire domain. Peace, prosperity, and the pursuit of happiness have taken the place of deadly strife. In place of cultivating the art of war, we are now cultivating commerce and friendly intercourse. In a few years the blackened track of contending armies will smile with luxuriant harvests. ”

“ My horse was so lamed by his wound that I could not ride him, so I took him to General Leggett's head-quarters and left him, took my gun and went to the front.
By this time the action had become general along the Army of the Tennessee, and raged furiously in front and in rear. Attaching myself to the first regiment that I came to, the 18th Missouri Infantry, I fought with my rifle until the action was over.
The contest was a desperate one, and the slaughter on both sides dreadful. Five times we jumped our works, fighting sometimes to the front and sometimes to the rear. ”

“ 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 of more consequence to me than pay. I did not come into the army for pay. ”

“ Once, however, Bunker was called upon to make a speech, of which the following is what he had to say:
"Fellow-soldiers and comrades in arms: It is with feelings of pride that I attempt to address [Pg 300] you—pride because it is not often that an occasion offers for one to address a body of men whose deeds of valor have called forth such praise and such rejoicings as yours have done. Aye! I am proud that I have been a comrade in arms with you in such struggles as Donelson, Shiloh, Champion Hills, and Vicksburg! Such victories attest that you have done your duty well, and the glory is yours. ”

“ Our walk had created an appetite for breakfast, and we concluded to give the people of the house a call. I noticed, as we entered, that breakfast was about ready. Addressing myself to the lady of the house, said I, "Can we get some breakfast here this morning? We are in rather a tight place. We were captured by the Yankees in the fight on the Hatchee, and we have run away from them; they have robbed us of all our money, and we have got nothing to pay you with."
"Why, certainly you can have some breakfast. How you poor soldiers do have to suffer! Sit down and rest yourselves." ”

“ The roar of musketry, the crash of artillery, the scream of shells, the whiz of bullets, and the sight of the dead and wounded were not calculated to fill the minds of inexperienced soldiers with very pleasant sensations; nevertheless, every man of the regiment exhibited a coolness and firmness that would do honor to veterans in battle. ”

“ Down under the hill from the six-gun batteries, toward Marietta, I found a large force of State militia, who were holding the right of the rebel lines by themselves. There was nothing military in their appearance. Their camp was without regularity, and filthy in the extreme. Many of them had their families with them, and some of them had cows tied to their wagons. The dog and cat were not left behind. The tongues of their wagons usually pointed outward, and boards laid across from one wagon-tongue to another served them as tables. ”

“ It may be thought by some that a scout is of necessity of that hardened, reckless character that is insensible to the dangers that surround him; but that is a mistake. It is true that war is hardening to the finer sensibilities, but, nevertheless, if a man is unconscious of the danger of his undertaking, he is not apt to exercise the necessary precautionary measures to insure his safety, and, consequently, fails in his mission. ”

“ While I was eating, the planter came in.
"Lord bless you, John!" exclaimed the lady, as her husband entered, "here is one of our soldiers, and he has had a fight with the Yankee pickets and has killed three of them! He says he's gwine to walk to Salem after another hoss. I tell him that he's not a-gwine to walk when we've got heaps o' mules! I think any of our soldiers that has killed three Yankees is entitled to a mule to ride!"
"You can have a mule in welcome; there's no occasion for you to walk," said the planter. ”

“ I continued, "I'm getting tired of fighting for niggers, and if I wasn't afraid they would hang me for a spy, I'd go and join Billy Jackson's cavalry."
"And so would I," said the Sergeant; "I think I'd like the Southern people very much. I have often heard "Bunker" talk about them; he used to live in the South."
"Yes, I did, indeed! and I'm almost ashamed to be fighting against them. I used to live in Mississippi, and I have spent several years in Arkansas and Tennessee. I am well acquainted in Memphis. General, do you know Jim Ford and Charlie Ford, of Memphis?" ”