During our progress, though we were cut off from all communication with home, we were not altogether ignorant of General Thomas' glorious victory, and route of the Confederate army under Hood. We learned, by way of the Southern people, of "Hood's disaster," and could plainly comprehend the strategy that had drawn him unwittingly to the defenses at Nashville, and it added not a little to our courage. We plainly saw that the enemy was utterly powerless to resist our advance. On our arrival at the coast, near Savannah, we were visited by Mr. Stanton, Secretary of War. General Leggett gave me an introduction to him, as "a very efficient and worthy scout and spy," to which he replied, "Yes, I know him." "Does the _President_ know you, Mr. Ruggles?" inquired General Leggett, surprised that the Secretary knew me. "Yes, I expect so; I know him." The Secretary asked me if I was acquainted about Mobile and New Orleans. I told him that I was not much acquainted about Mobile, but had been there twice, and that I was pretty well acquainted about New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain. He asked me if I was willing to make a trip across the country and report to General Granger, and I answered, "Yes, any where." The next morning I received an order from the War Department to proceed across the country on horseback, and report for special service to General Granger, at Mobile, Alabama. I was not limited in time to make the trip. It was some time in the month of January, 1865, that I set out on my journey. I traveled very leisurely, and visited every place of any importance that lay near my route. I had been instructed by the Secretary of War to gather as much information as I could while passing through the country. To accomplish this, I made frequent stops to converse with the people, and I frequently rode many miles, to one side or the other of my route, to find people that were influential and leading members of society, so that I might learn the sentiments of those who wielded a controlling influence. I traveled in the disguise of a citizen carrying my order from the War Department with me. It was not often that I ventured to carry such papers with me. I found that most of the people were willing to give up to the Federal authorities--not because they had been wrong, but because by the force of war they had become overpowered and exhausted. While there was a desire for peace, there was also a hatred of the Federal Government. A few were satisfied with the old Government as it was, and had reluctantly been drawn into rebellion by the force of the elements around them. Such people hailed the overthrow of the Confederate Government with joy. "Hood's disaster" and "Sherman's raid" had revealed to the Southern people their weakness in a more alarming view than they had ever before seen it. It seemed, in their case, that the last straw had been laid upon the camel's back, and the overloaded beast was unable to rise.