"Which is of the most importance, Major: for me to sit down and tell you my history, or for you to get out your men and capture those guerrillas?"
By this time the pickets had become alarmed, and sent in for support. The long roll began to beat, and every thing was excitement. Then was my time to get away.
"Come on, Tom," said I to the Sergeant; "we must pass the pickets at Wolf River bridge during the confusion incident to this alarm, or we will not get away from here without trouble."
As I had expected, the confusion enabled us to get by the pickets at the bridge. We continued on until about 7 o'clock in the evening, when we were halted by a railroad guard. The guard allowed us to come up, and we stayed at the post all night. Before we went to sleep, a messenger came along on a hand-car, with orders to double the guards during the night, for an attack on the railroad was intended, and that thirty guerrillas had already been captured at Davis' Mills, and that more were supposed to be in the vicinity.
At daylight I tried my persuasive influence upon the guards, and succeeded in getting leave to pass. From that time on we had very little difficulty in passing the guards. 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. General Ross was absent, so I reported to the Adjutant-General. We then resumed our journey, and in five days from the time we left Lagrange, we reached our regiment, then at Oxford, Miss.
I immediately reported to Colonel Force, who inquired if I had been released from the guard-house.
I said, "No, sir; we ran away."
"Well, Bunker, I am sorry to say it: I can't harbor you in my regiment."
"I suppose, then, Colonel, that the best thing that we can do is to get away from here; a'n't it?"
"Well, I don't know but it is."