I did so; but, being a stranger to him, he did not know that I was a soldier, and the pass that I received read as follows: "HEAD-QUARTERS DEP'T OF THE TENNESSEE. } "REAR OF VICKSBURG, MISS., JUNE --, 1863. } "Lorain Ruggles, a citizen of the South, has leave to visit Admiral Porter's flag-ship and return with a gun. "---- ---- "_Provost-marshal._" I took my rifle and went to Chickasaw Landing, on the Yazoo river, where I succeeded in getting on board the steamer Diligent, a dispatch-boat, as she went down to the gun-boats with dispatches. The flag-ship, at that time, lay in the Mississippi River, a short distance above Vicksburg. I found the Admiral, and handed him the note from General Grant, which he read; and then, giving me a searching look from head to foot, he said: "Well, Mr. Scout, you want some ammunition for your rifle; but I don't keep any such trifling guns about me, and, consequently, I have got none of that kind of ammunition." "Look'e here, Mr. Admiral," said I; "that gun a'n't so _small a trifle_ as you imagine. I can kill a reb. with it at a distance of nine hundred yards, and I can outshoot the Parrot rifles!" "Ah, you can't commence with my guns! They are better than that. Orderly, go down and bring up one of my favorites." The orderly soon returned with a beautiful Spencer rifle. "There," said the Admiral, handing me the gun; "how do you like the looks of that?" I took it and examined it carefully all over. It was a seven-shooter, with a bayonet, and every part of it most beautifully finished. It suited me to a charm. "Well, inasmuch as I have got no cartridges for my gun, how will you trade guns with me?" "I can't part with that gun; you might as well try to get my wife as that gun!" He then told me that if General Grant wanted I should have one, he would get one like it for me. I told him that I could not carry two guns, and that I did not want one unless I could trade him mine. He promised, however, to make an effort to get me some cartridges. By this time the dispatch-boat was ready to return, and I went back to Chickasaw Landing. On my arrival at the landing, I met a little Frenchman, whom I had frequently seen in Memphis, and at the camps about there, and I had for some time suspected that he was a Confederate spy. I first saw him in the camps of the 20th, 78th, and 68th Ohio, and the 23d Indiana regiments, engaged in buying Confederate money of the soldiers. At that time he wore very long hair, and was dressed like a citizen; but on this occasion his hair was cut short, and he was dressed like a clerk about some head-quarters. I saw him several times at Memphis, while I was under the assumed character of a rebel Major. He had never seen me in any other dress than that of a citizen. I expressed delight at meeting him, shook hands with him, and inquired about his health, etc. "Who are you to work for now?" he inquired. "For General Johnston."