I had hoped that, in attending the meeting, I would be enabled to learn of some intended raid or campaign, but none was spoken of and probably none contemplated by the band at that time.
About 1 o'clock, P. M., the meeting closed, and I resumed my way back. Two days after, I arrived at Vicksburg, and reported to General Grant.
CHAPTER XXV.
Taken sick with the ague—Encounters his Satanic Majesty—The Devil afraid of General Grant—Expedition to Bogue Chitto Creek—Captures a rebel Colonel—Enlists as a veteran—Makes a speech to the soldiers.
From the time that I finished my trip to Yazoo City until the next November I had but very little to do, and nothing occurred of interest in my experience as a scout. About this time I was taken with the three-day ague, which troubled me more or less for a whole year. At times, when the "shakes" would leave me and the fever come on, I would have dreams or visions of a delirious character. I usually fancied myself engaged in some fearful and desperate encounter with the rebels. My fancies were audibly uttered, and to-day are as distinctly visible to my mind as though they were realities of yesterday. Indeed, they seemed like actual experience. In those delirious hours, officers and soldiers would visit me, to listen to my utterances of what was passing before me.
On one occasion, I fancied that I died and went to hell. There I found, in one corner of the infernal regions, an inclosure of several acres, filled with Federal soldiers. They were suffering intensely for want of sufficient water. A small rivulet made its way down a little hollow across the inclosure, but the stream was so small that its supply aggravated rather than diminished the thirst of the soldiers. Having placed me in the inclosure, the devil started back to earth after more soldiers. After a careful examination of the locality, I concluded that I could relieve very much of the suffering by damming up the stream. I set to work at once making a dam, and, by the time the devil made his appearance, I had succeeded in raising the water to a depth of four feet.
"Have you come here to interfere with my arrangements?" inquired the devil, angry at what I had done.
"No, sir; but I thought I would build a dam here and have as much water in it as there is in some parts of the Mississippi."