I took passage on the first boat for New Orleans and paid my fare to the mouth of Red River, where I expected to meet a boat for Shreveport.
On arrival at Memphis, Tennessee, the boat laid over for several hours, delivering freight, during which time I hunted up General Forrest, who was then in the commission business. The General soon recognized me and after telling him my trouble, requested him to look out for a situation for me, under an assumed name, while I went to Texas after my family, which he cheerfully agreed to do.
While awaiting the Red River boat, a lieutenant who was the Bureau Agent of a nearby parish arrived, also awaiting a Mississippi boat for New Orleans. A few hours afterward an upper boat arrived to deliver some freight for Red River. The lieutenant, being very fond of ardent spirits, and there being no bar on the wharfboat, immediately went over to the Mississippi boat where he imbibed a few drinks. After delivering the freight the boat rang a bell to depart and the lieutenant ran down to the lower deck to get back to our wharfboat. The Mississippi boat already having cast off its bow line, was moving slowly apart from the wharfboat when the lieutenant attempted to step across, and, losing his headway, he became balanced between the two boats—with the boats moving apart. Discovering his predicament, I jumped over to where he stood and offered him my hand and pulled him over, thereby, no doubt, saving his life. If he had lost his footing he would have dropped in and pulled me in with him and both would have drowned as there is a strong underflow at this point and nothing which falls in ever comes to the surface. I did this under the impulse of the moment, at the risk of my own life, and saved the life of a man who, had he known who I was, no doubt would have been instrumental in having me captured.
On arrival at the mouth of the Red River, where with some other passengers, we had to await a Shreveport boat from New Orleans, I met a Mr. Black from Leon County, who had been over to Alabama after his brother’s family, moving them to Texas and was expecting a couple of mule teams at Grand Ecore, to haul them to Leon County. I confided my secret to Black, who knew all about our case and insisted on my going with him on his wagons, which I decided to do. At Grand Ecore we met his wagons, which were so heavily laden with household goods and the family of his brother, three or four little children, that I preferred to walk behind the wagon, holding on to the same, to keep up with them.
We traveled the old San Antonio road in order to find good crossings at the different rivers and when we reached Alto, Cherokee County, I took stage for Rusk, where I had an old army friend, Judge Sam A. Wilson, the only man I knew in the place.
On arrival at Rusk, meeting with my friend, Wilson, who was much surprised to see me and particularly to learn of my troubles, I requested him to get me the best horse that he could find about the place, one that would do to ride in among the enemy. After studying a while he said that he did not know of a good saddle horse in the place, but thought that we could be accommodated at the livery stable, where I was furnished what turned out to be an old plug. I parted with my friend Wilson, he never expecting to see me again, and started for Centerville, Leon County, assuming the name of R. F. Jones.
Arriving within four or five miles of Centerville about noon, I decided to stop at a house and go into the town at night. For this purpose, I called for dinner and told the landlord I was looking around for a location in Texas, that I was from North Carolina and from what I had seen of Texas, was favorably impressed with it. After dinner, discussing several localities I had passed through, he asked how I liked his place. I told him I thought he had a good place. He then offered to sell to me and also a tanyard he had on sale; although I had never seen a tanyard, I looked it all over carefully and his entire place, leaving the impression with him that I meant business and consumed the balance of the evening in that way. After supper I told him I believed that I would go on to Centerville and stay all night and that I might be back again and try to drive a bargain for his place, unless I found something that suited me better. By way of excuse, my leaving so late, I told him I had heard of a particular friend, who had lately moved to Centerville, with whom I wanted to spend the night.
I now started for Centerville, where I arrived about nine o’clock at night. The night was very dark and I stopped to inquire where Dr. McLendon lived, expecting to find my wife at his house. At Dr. McLendon’s home I was informed that he was at a doctor’s office up in town, and directions given where I could find him. I concluded best to see him first before asking for my wife at the house.
On entering the doctor’s room I found four gentlemen talking, but did not know Dr. McLendon, having never seen him before, nor had he ever seen me. I asked for Dr. McLendon; he spoke and said he was the man. I then told him that I was camped on a certain creek, some several miles from town, and had a very sick child, that I wanted him to go and see at once. He said all right and started out of the room with me. When we got to the gate he said, “You will have to go with me up to the house, for my horse.” I told him all right and walked by the side of him, leading my horse by the bridle. He soon asked me, “What seems to be the matter with your child, sir?” I answered, “Nothing, I hope, Doctor. I haven’t seen my child in ten months and have come after it and my wife; tell me where I can find them. My name is Graber.” He jumped like he was shot and said, “For God’s sake get on that horse and leave here quick. You are certainly not up with the excitement.” “Well,” said I, “if there is any extraordinary excitement here, I am not.” He said, “Your family are not in town tonight; they are about seventeen miles from here, on a visit to her sister, who is at Dr. Baldwin’s. They are visiting there, refugees from yellow fever.” He says, “Let’s get out in the brush where nobody will see us and we will talk matters over.” We then walked to the edge of the town and sat down on the ground in the brush, out of hearing, when he detailed the situation, saying that Tom Thorn, my partner, had been ranging around there for two or three weeks, annoying Capt. Bradford, in command of the garrison, which was camped near town. Tom had registered at the hotel, “T. J. Thorn and friend,” taking a meal there. Then, one night at roll call, he and his friend had fired into the camp and finally he had sent Captain Bradford a challenge, that he would fight him and any ten of his men at any time and place he might designate and signed the challenge “Thos. J. Thorn and friend.”
Captain Bradford naturally concluded that this “friend” was Graber and knowing his and his family’s friendship for my wife, concluded that Dr. McLendon knew Graber’s whereabouts and showed him a big roll of money that morning, claiming it was four thousand dollars, saying, “Dr. McLendon, here is a reward offered for Thorn and Graber. You know where Graber is; here is your money.” Dr. McLendon was a practicing surgeon for these troops, as they had no regular army surgeon. I told Dr. McLendon I had come after my wife and baby and intended to take them out or die in the attempt, even if the whole Federal army of Texas was there to guard them. He furthermore stated that Captain Bradford had issued an order to the sheriff of the county to arrest Thorn and Graber by the next Monday morning, or be removed from office as an impediment to reconstruction.