"Captured you?"
"Yes; I told him I was a citizen of the South, but he did not believe me."
"I have known Ruggles these six years, Captain; he's all right. But, then, never mind—I see! we'll make him count one in exchange. I'll parole him. Where did you capture him?"
Daniels told him the particulars of my capture, and that I had been in Bolivar several weeks.
"Well," said the Colonel, "I'll parole him."
"Do you know the name of any Colonel in Bolivar, and the regiment that he commands?"
"Yes, I know one; his name is Force, and he commands the 20th Ohio Infantry."
"Well, that will do as well as any."
He then paroled me as belonging to the 20th Ohio Infantry, commanded by Colonel Force.
Captain Daniels and the Quartermaster then left me with Colonel Slemmens, and returned toward Somerville. My old acquaintances all got together at the Colonel's quarters, and we had a right lively visit. They were all urgent to have me join the regiment, and I finally consented to run with them awhile, and promised to join if I liked the regiment. I had found out, by this time, that the regiment was the 2d Arkansas Cavalry, and was there on outpost duty. It had been raised in a part of Arkansas where I was well acquainted. There was no other regiment there at that time. The principal part of the rebel forces in Northern Mississippi were then camped at Lumpkins' Mills, seven miles south of Holly Springs.