On the ninth day after my arrest, I happened to be on board of her, when the steamer Continental came down the river, and, stopping, made fast alongside of her. Before the guards made their appearance, I jumped aboard the Continental and ran up into the cabin, in search of some person that I knew. There I found Colonel Marsh, of the 20th Illinois Regiment. He knew me. I told him how I came to be there, and that I wanted to run away and report myself to General Grant. He was going on shore at the time. He handed me the key to his state-room and told me to make myself at home, and when the boat started he would join me. In the course of an hour we were under way, and without any molestation from the provost guards. Whether the Provost-marshal ever received my order from General Denver, or whether General Prentiss ever found out what became of me, is more than I know. I reported to General Grant the result of my trip, and why I had been so long in getting to him. He said that I had done right in coming back when I did, but that I should have reported the cavalry movement to General Hurlbut, at Memphis. He then relieved me from duty for thirty days, and allowed me to return to my regiment. I will here say, that I have no doubt that Generals Denver and Prentiss acted in good faith on their part, and had what seemed to them good and sufficient reasons for detaining me as they did. All the conversation that I had with General Prentiss was no more than a Confederate spy might have had under the same circumstances. Papers I very seldom carry about me when inside of the enemies lines; and in the absence of such evidence, it is sometimes very hard to convince one's own friends of his loyalty, and equally as hard for the enemy to make him out a spy. CHAPTER XXI. Return to the regiment--The Henry rifle--The march from Milliken's Bend--The tug of war--The army crosses the Mississippi--Capture of Port Gibson--Battle of Raymond--Amusing Capture--The charge on Jackson--Battle of Champion Hills--The rebel courier--Sharp-shooting--The gallant charge--The march to Vicksburg--The place besieged. It was about the middle of the month of April that I returned to my regiment, which I found encamped at Berry's Landing, five miles above Lake Providence, La. It was while there that I had an opportunity of examining one of Henry's volcanic or repeating rifles, which are capable of discharging seventeen shots without reloading. The one that I saw was in the possession of the Captain of the steamboat Superior.