I was on guard that night, and my post was at the gangway, with instructions to prevent, at all hazards, any attempt of prisoners to go ashore. About 1 o'clock at night a rebel Captain stepped up to me, and addressing me by name, said, "How are you?"
I recognized in him an old acquaintance by the name of Captain Brown, with whom I had formed an acquaintance at Island No. Twenty-eight, in the summer of 1852. At that time he was the owner and captain of the Memphis and Nashville packet steamer Sligo. When the rebellion broke out he raised a company at Nashville, and was made a captain in the —th Tennessee Infantry. At one time, while in difficulty in Memphis, Captain Brown had rendered me valuable assistance.
"How are you?" said I, as soon as I discovered who it was. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm a prisoner, and my old friend is guarding me."
"Yes, I see! Quite a change since you and I last met."
"Yes, something of a change! I hardly expected to meet you in arms against me! You have lived a long time in the South. Do you think that you are doing exactly right to take up arms against us?"
"The old government and the old flag are good enough for me," I replied, "and I mean to stick by them so long as I live."
"Do you expect to pin the States together again with bayonets?" he asked.
"I don't know whether we shall pin the States together again or not; but I do know one thing; we'll have the soil back again, whether we have the people or not."
"See here!" said he. "Do you remember of my assisting you one time in Memphis, when you was in trouble?"