Four Years a Scout and Spy / "General Bunker", One of Lieut. General Grant's Most Daring and Successful Scouts, Being a Narrative of ... the Experience of Corporal Ruggles During Four Years' Service as a Scout and Spy for the Federal Army

by E. C. Downs

When the prisoners had all crossed Black River, I returned to Vicksburg. On my return, I chanced to meet Major-General Logan, who wanted I should engage in the detective business, the same as I had done at Memphis. I told him that I did not like the business and did not understand it, and that I did not see any thing brave or daring in it, and that it seemed like rather a low business. He, however, insisted upon my taking hold of it, and gave me an order to go on board the steamer Swon to board, so that I might pass as a citizen without being suspicioned.

I boarded there three days, at the end of which time I was so completely disgusted with the business that I could not do any thing at it, even if I had wanted to. I then went to General Grant, and told him what General Logan had set me at, and that I did not like it, and asked him if he had a trip that he wanted made into the Confederacy. He replied that he had none of much importance, but that I might make a trip to Yazoo City, if I was a mind to, and see if any thing was going on there, and gather what information I could.

The Federal forces had, since the surrender of Vicksburg, already taken the place, and captured such public stores as were moveable, and destroyed the rest and vacated it.

I made the trip on horseback, dressed like a citizen. The route was rather a lonesome one, and nothing occurred of interest on my way out. On my arrival at Yazoo City, I found every thing quiet, and the place unoccupied by troops.

I then crossed the Yazoo River to the west, and visited the neighborhood of Silver Creek, at a point eighteen miles from Yazoo City. There I learned that a band of guerrillas, known as the Silver Creek guerrillas, were to have a meeting the next day, at a log church, about six miles distant to the south-west, to reorganize their band, so as to make themselves more efficient. Thinking that I might learn something of them that might be of service, I determined to attend the meeting.

The next morning I started in the direction of the church alone, but had gone only a short distance when I was joined by six citizens, on horseback, going to the same place. We arrived at the church about 10 o'clock, A. M., and found the meeting already commenced. I walked in with those that had accompanied me and sat down, a listener to their proceedings.

Remarks were made by several individuals, and I learned by them that the band had become disorganized and ineffectual by the slackness of the members in turning out. Many of them had failed to report for duty when ordered, and some of them had never reported at all. A great deal was said about what valuable services might be rendered by a well-organized band, and appeals were made to the patriotism of each individual present "to stand by the South in the hour of her trial, and let the world at large know that the people of the South were determined in their purpose, and would fight for her liberties until relieved from the thralldom of a Lincoln tyranny."

Each man present was invited to express his views on the matter, and I, in turn, was called upon. To kill all chances of suspicion that might occur from my presence, I responded to the invitation. I said to them that I was a stranger to all of them. I told them that I belonged to Daniel's guerrillas, at Somerville, Tennessee, and I knew from experience that a well-organized band could make itself of great service to the Government, and that I felt it was the duty of every individual in the Confederacy to put forth his best efforts, without regard to cost or sacrifice, to sustain the Government and establish our liberty. Our band, I told them, intended to live on the Lincoln army, and we kept close to it, and frequently got inside of the Yankee lines and got valuable information, and sometimes we captured prisoners, and horses, and mules; and we calculated not only to do service to the Government, but to make it pay us, and I hoped that the people of that neighborhood were as patriotic as they were in mine.

The meeting resulted in the reorganization of the band, with eighty members.

It has often been reported that citizens of the South who had taken the oath of allegiance to the Federal Government, were subject to abuse and cruel treatment by guerrillas and soldiers of the Confederate army; but in that meeting several of the members said that they had taken the oath, and had done it because compelled to do it, and it was not spoken of as an offense nor regarded as an obligation.