INTRODUCTION
Lorain Ruggles was enlisted by me in December, 1861, at Columbus, Ohio. The name of "General Bunker" was given to him by the men in his company, and it was by that name that he was most generally known in the army, and very many knew him by no other name.
Mr. Ruggles is a man possessed of great presence of mind, a strong memory, and not a little of native wit, and great power of physical endurance. These, with his knowledge of the Southern people and country, admirably fitted him for the duties of a scout.
The narratives here related are of facts that actually occurred in his experience, and very many of them are as well authenticated as any facts in history can be. There has been no aim at making this a work of general history, but simply a narrative of personal experience, coupled with only so much of the general history of the war as is necessary to explain the cause of the events that transpired in his experience. Many of these are incidents of daring that are without parallel in the scout service. The following testimonials of the value of his services and the truthfulness of his reports will be read with interest:
"Head-quarters 1st Brigade, 3d Division,
"17th Army Corps, December, 11, 1863.
"Captain E. C. Downs, 20th Ohio:
"Captain—I have known Mr. Ruggles since December, 1861, when your company was first mustered. I remember very well his first expedition as a spy, in June, 1862, when the 20th was at Grand Junction, then an exposed outpost, under command of General Leggett.
"Since that time he has been continually employed on such duty, often on expeditions of extreme hazard. He has shown as much address as daring. Many a camp-fire has been enlivened with stories of his adventures while commanding officers have set high value upon his reports.
"I remember Mr. Ruggles as one of our best sharp-shooters in the war. His skill as a sharp-shooter, as well as scout, often got him leave to go out from the line on somewhat independent duty. At Champion Hills I gave him leave to go out with company A, which was sent out as skirmishers to open the way for an advance, on account of his skill.
"At the siege of Vicksburg, he had a special permanent permission to be among the sharp-shooters on the advanced lines. On the day of the general but unsuccessful charge in May, he was mainly instrumental in driving away the artillerists from two of the enemy's guns on the right of the Jackson road.
"His Henry rifle, given to him by General Grant, was one of the marked pieces among the sharp-shooters of the 17th Corps at that siege.
"Very respectfully, your ob't serv't,
"M. F. Force,
"Brig.-Gen'l. Vols., late Colonel 20th Ohio."
"Head-quarters 3d Div., 17th Army Corps,
"Vicksburg, Miss., December 7, 1863.
"Captain E. C. Downs:
"Dear Sir—Mr. Ruggles (or 'General Bunker,' as he is better known) has acted as scout and spy for me on very many occasions since the early part of June, 1862, and is now acting in that capacity. In this character he has been remarkably successful, seldom ever failing to satisfactorily accomplish the mission on which he was sent.
"Many scenes of his life as a spy are intensely interesting. It has been my fortune to meet in life very few persons who could so successfully act an assumed character.
"At some future time, I shall probably be at liberty to relate a few incidents of considerable interest in his career, of which he himself is as yet ignorant.
"Very respectfully,
"M. D. Leggett,
"Brigadier-General."
"Memphis, Tenn., November 28, 1863.
"Captain E. C. Downs:
"Dear Sir—You wrote me sometime since, inquiring as to the services of Mr. Ruggles as a scout and spy for the Union army. In reply I would state that Mr. Ruggles was a superior man for the work assigned him, and the information obtained through him of the movements of the enemy was always reliable.
"In the discharge of his duties, he was active, energetic, and heroically brave. His gallantry in the service deserves honorable mention in the work of which you speak.
"I am truly yours, etc.,
"Leeman F. Ross."
"Head-quarters 17th Army Corps,
"Department of the Tennessee,
"Vicksburg, Miss., December 15, 1863.
"To whom it may concern:
"This is to certify that Mr. Ruggles has been employed by me at various times during the past year, and I have always found him brave, adventurous, and truthful.
"His services as a scout have been very important, and he deserves well of the military authorities.
"Jas. B. McPherson,
"Major-General."
"Zanesville, O., July 31, 1866.
"Major E. C. Downs:
"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.
"I never knew him to give false intelligence, and in his forthcoming work should recommend it as a truthful narrative of his personal adventures, many of which I am known to.
"G. F. Wiles,
"Late Colonel 78th O. V. V. I., and Brevet Brig.-General."
"Carrollton, Ohio, June 27, 1866.
"Major E. C. Downs, Zanesville, Ohio:
"Major—I am glad to add my testimony to the reputation of 'Bunker' as a scout and spy. I believe him to have been the most reliable and successful scout in the Western army.
"'Bunker' had the confidence of Lieut.-General Grant and Major-Generals McPherson and Logan, which he earned by skillful labor during the campaign which resulted in the capture of Vicksburg and its garrison. 'Bunker' deserves well of his country.
"Yours truly,
"B. F. Potts,
"Late Brevet Major-General U. S. Vols."
"Carbondale, Ill., July 1, 1866.
"Major Downs:
"Dear Sir—I am well acquainted with Mr. Ruggles, or, as we called him in the army, 'General Bunker.' He was certainly a very excellent scout, and performed great service in that branch of duties. He served as scout for me, as well as for many others, and at all times performed his part well, ran great risks; was not only a good scout, but one of the best sharp-shooters perhaps in the army.
"Yours truly,
"John A. Logan."
"Washington, D. C., July 9, 1865.
"Major E. C. Downs:
"Dear Sir—In the work of which you speak, you are at liberty to refer to me concerning the value of the services rendered by Mr. Ruggles as a scout and spy. His reports were always reliable, and were held in high estimation by me.
"Yours truly,
U. S. Grant,
"Lieutenant-General U. S. A."
Such testimonials as the foregoing give the narratives contained in the following pages a reputation of reliability that can not be doubted. Whenever a mission of great danger was to be executed, Mr. Ruggles was the man that was usually chosen to perform it. His quick comprehension and heroic daring enabled him to address himself to the work, which he rarely ever failed to accomplish. Often the boldness of his designs proved to be the reason of his success. Very few have equaled, while none have excelled, him in that line of duty. Many of the incidents in his experience are so wonderful that in them the "truth seems stranger than fiction."
The Author.