When breakfast was over, my guerrilla acquaintances invited and even urged me to accompany them; but I declined, stating as a reason that I had business of great importance, the nature of which I was not at liberty to divulge, and that several of our most reliable friends were waiting in anticipation of my arrival at the house of Dr. Coleman, in Bolivar. My mule was got ready, and, having bid them farewell, I resumed my ride back to camp.
Two days after, I accompanied an expedition to Middleburg to capture the guerrillas, but without success. My report at head-quarters caused an increase in vigilance on the part of scouts and pickets. On the 31st of August, the enemy, 6,000 strong, was found to be advancing in the vicinity of Middleburg. General Leggett, with less than one thousand men, mostly from the 20th and 78th Ohio regiments of infantry, met them there, and a desperate fight ensued, in which our loss was trifling and that of the enemy severe. So badly punished was the enemy that he withdrew his forces.
CHAPTER VII.
Attempts to visit the enemy's camp—Learns the strength and position of the enemy—Return intercepted—Perilous situation—Loses his mule—Frightened by men of his own regiment—The plan to capture the enemy—The negro's report—The forces discovered—Disposes of a rebel picket—Reports his discovery.
After the fight in the vicinity of Middleburg, a part of the enemy went into camp between the battle-ground and Van Buren. Soon after, General Leggett requested me to visit the enemy's camp and learn his force, and whether he had any artillery. He gave me a pass to go out, in the presence of the field-officer of the day, who said that no passes were being given out at division head-quarters, and objected to my going out. General Leggett told the officer that I was a privileged character, and that he would take the responsibility of passing me out, but that he would give passes to no others.
Dressed like a citizen, and mounted on a mule, I went out and made my way to the rebel picket line, where I tried to pass in, but was informed by the pickets that they had orders forbidding them to pass citizens in or out. I passed along the line to other posts, but found that they all had the same orders. I made myself quite familiar with the pickets, and those not on duty did not hesitate to enter into conversation with me, by means of which I learned that the force consisted of three regiments of cavalry, and that there was no artillery.
Having gathered up what information I could, I went to visit the battle-field, and while there I came across a young man who was on his way from Saulsbury to Somerville, and had met with the same difficulty I had encountered about getting through the lines, and, in order to continue his journey, he had made a detour round the lines. My own observations and his gave me a correct knowledge of the rebel lines on three sides, and also the position of the rebel camp.
After completing my visit to the battle-ground, I returned toward Bolivar. On my way out to the rebel lines, I had seen and conversed with an old man, a Mr. Knight, who lives about three miles from Bolivar. As I approached his house, on my return, and when within one hundred yards of it, I saw in his front yard two persons dressed like rebel soldiers, who had squirrel rifles. The moment they saw me, they brought their pieces to a ready, as if preparing to fire. I remembered distinctly that General Leggett had said that he would pass nobody else out; besides, I was a little suspicious of the old man Knight's loyalty; so I very naturally concluded that he, knowing that I had gone out, had went and got two soldiers to watch for me as I returned.