CHAPTER VII.
Attempts to visit the enemy's camp—Learns the strength and position of the enemy—Return intercepted—Perilous situation—Loses his mule—Frightened by men of his own regiment—The plan to capture the enemy—The negro's report—The forces discovered—Disposes of a rebel picket—Reports his discovery.
After the fight in the vicinity of Middleburg, a part of the enemy went into camp between the battle-ground and Van Buren. Soon after, General Leggett requested me to visit the enemy's camp and learn his force, and whether he had any artillery. He gave me a pass to go out, in the presence of the field-officer of the day, who said that no passes were being given out at division head-quarters, and objected to my going out. General Leggett told the officer that I was a privileged character, and that he would take the responsibility of passing me out, but that he would give passes to no others.
Dressed like a citizen, and mounted on a mule, I went out and made my way to the rebel picket line, where I tried to pass in, but was informed by the pickets that they had orders forbidding them to pass citizens in or out. I passed along the line to other posts, but found that they all had the same orders. I made myself quite familiar with the pickets, and those not on duty did not hesitate to enter into conversation with me, by means of which I learned that the force consisted of three regiments of cavalry, and that there was no artillery.
Having gathered up what information I could, I went to visit the battle-field, and while there I came across a young man who was on his way from Saulsbury to Somerville, and had met with the same difficulty I had encountered about getting through the lines, and, in order to continue his journey, he had made a detour round the lines. My own observations and his gave me a correct knowledge of the rebel lines on three sides, and also the position of the rebel camp.
After completing my visit to the battle-ground, I returned toward Bolivar. On my way out to the rebel lines, I had seen and conversed with an old man, a Mr. Knight, who lives about three miles from Bolivar. As I approached his house, on my return, and when within one hundred yards of it, I saw in his front yard two persons dressed like rebel soldiers, who had squirrel rifles. The moment they saw me, they brought their pieces to a ready, as if preparing to fire. I remembered distinctly that General Leggett had said that he would pass nobody else out; besides, I was a little suspicious of the old man Knight's loyalty; so I very naturally concluded that he, knowing that I had gone out, had went and got two soldiers to watch for me as I returned.
I immediately wheeled my mule about and went back behind a rise of ground, and then turned to my left into a corn-field. I dashed ahead about three hundred yards, when I discovered a company of rebel cavalry coming in a line toward me. I turned to my left again, and was dashing ahead toward Bolivar, when I unexpectedly encountered a deep water-gulch that was impassable to my mule. In my flight through the corn, I had already lost my hat. There I was, surrounded, with the enemy to my right, left, and rear, and a frightful ditch in front of me; it was no time for hesitation. I jumped off from my mule and left it, and clambered down into the ditch and then out on the other side, and ran for Bolivar as hard as I could go, bare-headed.
I made my way into camp, and procured a detachment of men and returned, hoping to find my mule, but did not succeed. I learned, however, that the two men that had caused my fright were Daniel Harris and Columbus Johnson, of my own regiment. They had been permitted to visit the battle-ground without arms, but, contrary to their instructions, had taken their arms with them.
On my return, I reported the force and position of the enemy, and also a plan for its capture. So well pleased was General Leggett with my plan, that he sent me with it to General Crocker, who was then commanding the post, during a temporary absence of General Ross. The position of the enemy was as follows:
Five miles from Bolivar, on the road leading south to Van Buren, the road forks; the right-hand road leads to Middleburg, a distance of two miles. On the left-hand road, at a distance of two miles from the fork, is a cross-road, called "Wash. Newbern's road," leading into the right-hand road at Middleburg. The three roads inclose a section of country in shape like a regular triangle. We will call the Wash. Newbern road the base, and the right- and left-hand roads the sides of the triangle; Wash. Newbern's house stands on the south side of the road constituting the base, and about three hundred yards from the left-hand road. On a line parallel with the base, and three hundred yards south of it, was the rebel camp. Two of the regiments were on the west side of the left-hand road, and one on the east side; the regiment occupying the left of the enemy's line was directly south of Newbern's house. In front of Newbern's house, north of the road, is a pasture-field extending north to the road leading from the fork to Middleburg; the fence along the road in front of Newbern's was thrown down. The pasture-field is narrow at each end, but in the center it is much wider, making the space in the center diamond-shaped. At the corner of the cross-road, near the rebel camp, was the reserve pickets, and about one hundred yards north of the reserve was the advance post. On the west side of the pasture-field was a large corn-field, and on the east side a piece of woods.
My plan to capture the enemy was to take four regiments of infantry, and place two regiments on each side of the diamond space in the field, in the morning, before daylight, and have them lay down in the corn-field and woods, so as to be out of sight. Then, at daylight, with what was known as the "mule cavalry," (infantry mounted on mules,) numbering one hundred men, make a dash on the reserve pickets and drive them in; then turn down the Wash. Newbern road, and, when in front of Newbern's house, break into confusion and disorder, and, with whoops and shouts of defiance, start leisurely down through the pasture. The enemy would naturally mount their horses and give chase, and, when once within the lines of the infantry, they would suddenly rise up, raise a shout, and close in each flank, and have them bagged.
General Crocker thought my plan would work, but, being only temporarily in command, did not like to assume the responsibility of executing it, and so it was abandoned.
The "mule cavalry" above alluded to was organized to facilitate scouting, and watch more closely the movements of the enemy, and to check the depredations of guerrillas that infested the country. It was composed of men from the infantry, selected for their daring and gallantry. On account of the thorough knowledge that I had obtained of the country, I was generally sent out with them, to guide them in their scouts.
Not a great while after the foregoing adventure, as the "mule cavalry" was going out on the road leading south from Bolivar, I accompanied them on my own responsibility. After we had got outside of the lines a short distance, I left the mule cavalry and took across the fields to the left, to Mr. Bill's plantation. I had got into a cotton-field on his plantation, and was riding leisurely along, when one of the niggers, who was picking cotton a short distance to my right, called out:
"Hallo, dar, Mr. Bunker! you come dis way."
I obeyed, and rode out to see what the nigger wanted.
"Mr. Bunker, hab we got forces down dar in de bottom?"
"No, we haven't got any forces there."
"Wal, dar's forces down in dar; for de horn souns down in dar reg'lar ebery mornin', ebery noon, an' ebery night, an' dar mus' be forces down dar."
"It must be rebel forces, then; probably rebel cavalry."
"Oh, Lord! Mr. Bunker, don't talk dat ar way, for dey will be up here for sure some night, an' dey will kill all de niggers Massa Bill hab got!"
"Well, I must go and see who is down there. Can you tell me of any path that leads down there?"
"Thar's heaps o' hog-paths dat leads down in dat ar way as yer go through de gate in de fur en' de field," said the nigger, pointing to the fence.
I rode on through the field in the direction pointed out, and following one of the hog-paths, I descended a hill, and was just rising to the top of another, when I discovered, on a ridge in advance of me, fourteen mounted rebels. They evidently had not seen me. I immediately backed my mule down the hill so far as to be out of sight, and then turned to the left and went down into a hollow, and then up a narrow ridge, or hog's back, leading in the direction of Bolivar. When I had rode along about four hundred yards through the scattering timber, I saw a fellow dressed like a rebel soldier, about fifty yards ahead, approaching me, with a double-barreled shotgun, which he carried, lying across the back of his neck, resting on both shoulders, with both his arms up over the gun. As he came along he was whistling a very lively tune, apparently perfectly unconcerned at my approach.
The moment I saw him, and before he discovered my movements, I drew my revolver, and held it down by my side out of sight, and when within about six feet of him, I presented my revolver and ordered him to halt. He did so, looking perfectly astonished. "Lay that gun right down on the ground," I continued. He did so, by raising it right up over his head with both hands and laying it down in front of him; then, straightening himself up in the position of a soldier, said:
"Well, sir; what will you have?"
"Step right back, away from that gun!" He did so. "That will do," said I, when about six feet away, at the same time riding up to the gun.
"What were you doing here?"
"I've just been relieved from the look-out post, out thar."
"Look-out post! What's that?"
"Don't you belong to that ar mule cavalry?"
"No, I don't belong to it, but I sometimes go with it. What command do you belong to?"
"Armstrong's 2d Battalion of Cavalry."
"How many are there of you here?"
"There are one hundred and sixty of us."
"What are you doing here?"
"We are sent out here to watch the mule cavalry."
"Where is your look-out post?"
"Well, sir, are you acquainted about here?"
"I am acquainted with all the roads, but not with your look-out post."
"Well, sir, our look-out post is in old 'Squire Knight's wheat-field. There is a big black stump there, with a plank across the top of it; we stand on that. From there we can see your mule cavalry at Joe Knight's, and we can see you at John Ursury's blacksmith-shop, and tell whether you take the Middleburg or Van Buren road; and the next place that we can see you is at Wash. Newbern's lane, and we can tell whether you go to Van Buren or to Wash. Newbern's. If ever you get down past Beaver's lane, going to Van Buren, it will be the last of you and your mule cavalry."
I then dismounted and picked up the shotgun. What to do with the soldier was hard for me to decide. If I undertook to take him to Bolivar, it was quite probable that I would lose my prisoner, and perhaps my life. To let him go would endanger my life and that of others; particularly my own, in case he should ever recognize me within their lines. I reflected a moment, and then disposed of him in the only way that I thought my own safety and the good of the service would admit; then shouldered the gun and started for Bolivar. I did not feel safe in carrying the gun, lest it should betray me in case I should be captured by a squad of the rebel cavalry; so, at the first stump I came to, I dismounted and broke it, and then went on. If I had had a gun of long range, I should have tried a pull at the man on the look-out post, but as it was, I did not think it advisable to molest him.
On reaching camp, I concluded that it was my duty to report to some body; but not having been officially sent out, I reported to Colonel Force. He listened to my report, and when I had finished, told me to report to General Ross. I did so, and he told me to have myself in readiness the next morning to guide a force of cavalry around to the rear of the rebel force, and that he would send a regiment of infantry in front, and try to capture the whole of them. Morning came, and I was ready to go, but received no orders. I have since learned that the plan fell through because the Colonel wanted his regiment to go, and the General wanted his old regiment to go, and finally did not send any.