The General cautioned me not to go inside of the enemy's lines, because it was a critical time, and if I did I would probably lose my life. He told me that several scouts had been sent out for the same purpose, and that none of them agreed in their reports. He told me that he was extremely anxious to know what the enemy was doing there, and what were his intentions, and charged me to be very cautious, so that I might return.
I was handed an order to General Osterhaus, to the effect that I was to be passed out of his lines, and when I returned I was to be immediately sent to General Osterhaus, under guard, and whatever I reported to him was to be immediately telegraphed to General Grant.
I carried the order to General Osterhaus, at Black River, who, when he had read it, sent me, under guard, to the picket line, with instructions to the officer in command of the pickets to pass me out. The picket line was on the east side of the river.
As I left the river, I was very particular to notice minutely the roads and fences and the features of the ground. About a mile from the bridge, on the road that leads to Edwards' Station, the Fifteen-mile Creek road turns off to the right. At the corners of the road the reserve pickets were stationed. About a quarter of a mile from the reserve, the road turns square to the left, and, at a distance of about one hundred yards further on, it turns back again square to the right. At that point the vedettes were stationed. On the left-hand side of the road, going out from the reserve to the vedettes, was a hedge fence. From the vedettes, in a straight line across to the reserve, was an open field, and the fence had been torn down or removed to allow the cavalry a chance to charge across it, if necessary.
Before leaving the pickets, I told the Lieutenant in command of the guards that I should not come back that night, unless I was driven back, and that if I came back I should come on the run, and that I would have no gun in my hands, nor any thing else that might be taken for one. I also requested him to describe to each man in person, as he took his post as vedette, my dress, so that there could be no mistake about who I was and no cause for firing into me. The Lieutenant instructed his men as I requested him; and besides, I found that several of them knew me, which very much relieved my fears about being fired at. I was on foot and dressed like a citizen.
Supposing that I had made all the necessary arrangements for my safety in case I was driven back, I started out. About half a mile from the vedettes, the road crossed a low piece of ground, and had been filled in with brush and rails, while wet, to keep wagons from miring, but the dry weather had dried up the mud and left the rails and brush bare, rendering it extremely difficult to cross without making a great deal of noise.
I had gone but a short distance after crossing it, when I heard a cracking of brush behind me, and turned to see what it was. The reader can judge my surprise when I saw, in the road behind me, fourteen rebel cavalry. I was ordered to halt, which I did, and they, at the same time, dismounted.
There I was, captured almost within sight of our own pickets. It was no time to show timidity, so I resolved upon a bold expedient.
"Who are you?" said one of the cavalry.
"I am a Confederate soldier."