I did not recognize the officer interrogating me, but I heard him addressed by one of the other officers as Colonel Sofield. When after telling him my story, he utterly refused to credit it. I asked to see the General in command. Col. Sofield replied that General Senhouse had gone over to confer with General Leonard and might not be back until morning, not for several hours certainly, and followed the explanation with an intimation that both myself and my servant would be well off under guard until his return.
I was somewhat nonplussed when the officer said General Senhouse. I had looked on General Dare only as a guide to Captain DeLacy, and had no interest whatever beyond that in him. At the same time I was a trifle surprised that I had not been taken before him, and that reference had not been made to him instead of to General Senhouse. I began to wonder if it were possible that I had not reached Dare's headquarters, but I did not dare ask directly or betray more knowledge of army details than a girl would be likely to know. After pondering a moment, I said:
"I ought perhaps to have stopped at A——, as I was advised to do, but I was so very anxious to get on, that I could not make up my mind to delay there. Will you tell me what regiment this is? I have friends and relatives with General Luce and there may be some one here who can identify me."
An orderly was presenting a paper to Col. Sofield as I finished speaking, and another officer, who had come up but a short time previous and was standing near, in company with the others, answered:
"This is General Dare's division, but General Senhouse is in command at present. Over on the left there is the —— Regiment, —— Brigade; others are further on. If you will give the names of your friends, and they are here, they can be sent for."
"Captain DeLacy is with General Dare. If I could see him, he would assure you that I am just who I represent myself. He is a very intimate friend of the family," I said, turning again to my first interlocuter.
"Impossible," he replied, "Captain DeLacy has just started to inspect a position several miles from here. There is no telling when he will be back."
"Beg pardon, Colonel, but Captain DeLacy has not got off yet. He passed us on the way over here, and I saw him go in Colonel Lounsbery's tent a few minutes ago," spoke up another officer. "There he comes now," he added, as a tall figure came out of a tent near by.
Affairs progressed rapidly in the next few minutes. In less time than I could write it, Captain DeLacy had been called over to identify me; had done it, even to the satisfaction of the obdurate Colonel, and beard the story of my detention, and my anxious request that I might go on at once.
Captain DeLacy asked and received permission to take me into a neighboring tent, where I could wait, freed from the gaze of those who had gathered around to see what was going on, until he could procure the passes necessary to insure my safe conduct through their lines. Colonel Sofield, whose good manners had increased in proportion to the strengthening of his convictions that I was not a spy, told him to take me into General Dare's tent, as it was the nearest one unoccupied, then to return to him for passes.