I immediately wheeled my mule about and went back behind a rise of ground, and then turned to my left into a corn-field. I dashed ahead about three hundred yards, when I discovered a company of rebel cavalry coming in a line toward me. I turned to my left again, and was dashing ahead toward Bolivar, when I unexpectedly encountered a deep water-gulch that was impassable to my mule. In my flight through the corn, I had already lost my hat. There I was, surrounded, with the enemy to my right, left, and rear, and a frightful ditch in front of me; it was no time for hesitation. I jumped off from my mule and left it, and clambered down into the ditch and then out on the other side, and ran for Bolivar as hard as I could go, bare-headed.
I made my way into camp, and procured a detachment of men and returned, hoping to find my mule, but did not succeed. I learned, however, that the two men that had caused my fright were Daniel Harris and Columbus Johnson, of my own regiment. They had been permitted to visit the battle-ground without arms, but, contrary to their instructions, had taken their arms with them.
On my return, I reported the force and position of the enemy, and also a plan for its capture. So well pleased was General Leggett with my plan, that he sent me with it to General Crocker, who was then commanding the post, during a temporary absence of General Ross. The position of the enemy was as follows:
Five miles from Bolivar, on the road leading south to Van Buren, the road forks; the right-hand road leads to Middleburg, a distance of two miles. On the left-hand road, at a distance of two miles from the fork, is a cross-road, called "Wash. Newbern's road," leading into the right-hand road at Middleburg. The three roads inclose a section of country in shape like a regular triangle. We will call the Wash. Newbern road the base, and the right- and left-hand roads the sides of the triangle; Wash. Newbern's house stands on the south side of the road constituting the base, and about three hundred yards from the left-hand road. On a line parallel with the base, and three hundred yards south of it, was the rebel camp. Two of the regiments were on the west side of the left-hand road, and one on the east side; the regiment occupying the left of the enemy's line was directly south of Newbern's house. In front of Newbern's house, north of the road, is a pasture-field extending north to the road leading from the fork to Middleburg; the fence along the road in front of Newbern's was thrown down. The pasture-field is narrow at each end, but in the center it is much wider, making the space in the center diamond-shaped. At the corner of the cross-road, near the rebel camp, was the reserve pickets, and about one hundred yards north of the reserve was the advance post. On the west side of the pasture-field was a large corn-field, and on the east side a piece of woods.
My plan to capture the enemy was to take four regiments of infantry, and place two regiments on each side of the diamond space in the field, in the morning, before daylight, and have them lay down in the corn-field and woods, so as to be out of sight. Then, at daylight, with what was known as the "mule cavalry," (infantry mounted on mules,) numbering one hundred men, make a dash on the reserve pickets and drive them in; then turn down the Wash. Newbern road, and, when in front of Newbern's house, break into confusion and disorder, and, with whoops and shouts of defiance, start leisurely down through the pasture. The enemy would naturally mount their horses and give chase, and, when once within the lines of the infantry, they would suddenly rise up, raise a shout, and close in each flank, and have them bagged.
General Crocker thought my plan would work, but, being only temporarily in command, did not like to assume the responsibility of executing it, and so it was abandoned.
The "mule cavalry" above alluded to was organized to facilitate scouting, and watch more closely the movements of the enemy, and to check the depredations of guerrillas that infested the country. It was composed of men from the infantry, selected for their daring and gallantry. On account of the thorough knowledge that I had obtained of the country, I was generally sent out with them, to guide them in their scouts.
Not a great while after the foregoing adventure, as the "mule cavalry" was going out on the road leading south from Bolivar, I accompanied them on my own responsibility. After we had got outside of the lines a short distance, I left the mule cavalry and took across the fields to the left, to Mr. Bill's plantation. I had got into a cotton-field on his plantation, and was riding leisurely along, when one of the niggers, who was picking cotton a short distance to my right, called out:
"Hallo, dar, Mr. Bunker! you come dis way."