After talking the matter over with Rogers and Graves, I consented to join in an effort to capture Kane and his gang, and I detailed my executive officer, Mr. Wilson, with fifty men to accompany me with Captain Rogers in the raid.
As there was no moon, we decided to make the attempt at once; and as we wished to reach Kane’s house late at night, we started at a very early hour in the morning, no information of the projected raid being given out, as such news had a way of traveling overland to the Confederates in a most unaccountable manner.
In fact it was announced carelessly on shore that the Hastings was going up to Cairo for repairs, so when she was missed the next morning it was assumed that she had gone there.
We steamed very quietly up the White River to a point where a bayou made in to the stream, some dozen miles below Kane’s plantation, and, turning the boat, backed her up the bayou about a mile to a bend where she was completely concealed by the overhanging cottonwood trees, draped with their long pendants of moss.
Here we waited for night. At eleven o’clock we cast off from the bank and steamed down the bayou and into the main river, which we ascended with great caution, literally feeling our way, until Graves assured me that we were but a scant mile below Kane’s house. We then ran in to the bank and, securing the boat to the trunk of a great tree, landed our shore party, which altogether numbered one hundred and ten officers and men.
We took up the line of march, Graves ahead, Rogers and I following closely, as indeed was very necessary in the darkness, and the men coming after us in double file and in as close order as was practicable.
The road was abominable, a mere cowpath, in many places grown up and almost impassable, and shortly after leaving the steamer we were compelled to cross a run where the water was knee-deep; but at last we came in sight of the house, a long, low, story and a half structure, part log, part frame, surrounded on two sides by a broad porch. At a short distance and near the woods, which on that side came quite close to the home buildings, were three wretched cabins or negro quarters, a half-ruined ginhouse, a smokehouse, two very large corn cribs, and a high-roofed barn.
No lights were visible, and as it was past midnight it was probable that all the inmates of the house were asleep. Of course it was necessary to surround the house closely, to avoid the escape of our quarry; but the danger in that operation lay in arousing the dogs, always so numerous and so watchful on a Southern plantation, and thus giving the alarm.
Graves suggested to me in a whisper that he and Captain Rogers had better take one portion of the men and, after falling back some little distance, make a détour, so that they could approach the house from the rear and farther side, while I should remain where I was and guard the front and near side.
“When you hear an owl hoot three times and after a pause hoot once, you may know that we are in position and ready to close in. I will then wait five minutes and repeat the same signal. When you hear it, captain, close in with your party, side and front, and we will have them trapped, sure.”