"Well, put your men into the 197th Ohio Infantry, and I will extend your time to recruit and give you a commission as Captain." "I don't want such a commission, Governor. I don't want to be in the infantry service." "Very well; I have got to fill that regiment up, because it is needed immediately at Nashville, and the men will have to go into it." "Then take them and put them there, and I'll go to Washington," said I, and walked out. I still held the letters of recommendation, with their indorsements. With these I proceeded to Baltimore, where I found Major-General Lewis Wallace, and obtained a pass from him to General Grant's head-quarters, at City Point, Va. I showed General Grant my papers, and told him of my difficulty. He took my papers and addressed them to the War Department, with the following indorsement: "HEAD-QUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, } "CITY POINT, VA., October 13, 1864. } "I know Private Ruggles well, and the services he rendered in Mississippi as a scout. With an independent company of such men as himself, he would be worth more in the Shenandoah Valley, and over the district of country over which Mosby roams, than a regiment of cavalry. "I would recommend that he be authorized to raise a battalion of men, and be put in the Department of West Virginia. "U. S. GRANT, _Lieutenant-General_." Thus approved, General Grant sent me with them to the Secretary of War; but, as I was about to leave his quarters, he said, "Perhaps you had better show these papers to the President." Thus prepared, I bent my way toward Washington, with a somewhat lighter heart than I left the Governor's office, at Columbus, Ohio. Finding several army officers of my acquaintance at Washington, I showed them my papers, and told them that General Grant advised me to show them to the President. My friends said that it was not necessary, so I proceeded at once to the War Department, and handed my papers, in person, to Secretary Stanton. I felt happy when I entered the office, and, though I had no conversation with the Secretary, when I came out I had lowered considerable in my own estimation. The way of doing business at the War Department seemed to me cold and repulsive. I have since been sorry that I did not carry my papers to the President. From the Secretary of War, I went to the Adjutant-General's office, and from there to the Provost-marshal General's office. There I was told to call in a week, and my papers would be ready.