CHAPTER XXVI.
Frightened by a dead Colonel—Burns Confederate corn in face of the enemy—Gets into a tight place—A frightened Major—Captures information—A headstrong Captain gobbled up—Captures a rebel Provost-marshal General—Encounter with General Ross' cavalry—A strange adventure—Races with a rebel Colonel—A hard-hearted woman.
The next service that I performed was in the month of February, 1864. It was in that month that General Sherman made what is known as the "Meridian raid." I accompanied the expedition. The second day out from Vicksburg, General McPherson sent me to watch the movements of Wirt Adams, who was hovering about our right flank with a battalion of cavalry. I found a movement in progress to attack the ordnance and supply train, which I reported in time to prevent; it was handsomely effected by the 11th Illinois Cavalry. At night the army halted at Baker's Creek.
There an incident occurred that I can never forget. I expected to go home with my regiment on veteran furlough as soon as the campaign that we were then on was completed. I had felt desirous of procuring a complete Confederate Colonel's uniform to take home with me as a trophy. I had already secured every thing except a coat. When I had completed my day's ride, and secured my horse for the night, it had got to be so late as 9 o'clock. Passing along the line to find somebody that would lend me some tobacco—which, by the way, was a scarce article then—I met a soldier, who said, "Bunker, didn't I hear you say that you wanted a rebel Colonel's coat?"
"Yes."
"There was a rebel Colonel killed on the skirmish line in front to-day."
"Was there! Where is he?"
"Go up the ditch yonder, to the left, till you come to the end of it; then take a hollow that leads away to your left. The first body that you come to is a dead private; the next is that of a Colonel."
The night was very dark, but my desires to obtain the coat were so strong that they overcame all fear, so I started out. I found the hollow described with less difficulty than I had expected. Coming to the dead private, I said, "Good evening, Johnnie! You'll get cold there, won't you?" A few steps further brought me to another body. "Good evening, Colonel!" said I. He made no reply. I continued: "You are going down below, where it is warm, and when we get back from this raid I am going up north, where it is cold; you have got a good coat and I want it. Since it is so warm down where you are going that you don't need it, what objections can you have to my taking it?"