The war was now virtually closed, and during our stay at Mobile General Granger had nothing for me to do. In July he moved to New Orleans, taking most of his troops with him. It was generally supposed that we were going there to take transports home to our respective States, to be mustered out; but in this we were disappointed. At that place General Granger ordered me to report to the Provost-marshal for duty as a detective. Why I was so often selected for such duty is more than I can tell. If I had all other necessary qualifications for that business, my dislike for it was so great as to overcome them. I went to the Provost-marshal with my order, and told him that I was at his disposal for duty, but that I had objections to engaging in that kind of service--not that I was unwilling to obey my superior officers, but simply because I had a dislike for the business that it was impossible for me to overcome. I told him that I had twice tried to operate as a detective and had failed, and the more I tried it the less I liked it. It was a kind of duty that was not congenial to my nature, and it seemed to me like low business. I was satisfied that there were those who were better adapted to such business than I, but if he insisted upon it I would go to work and do the best that I knew how. He told me that he had but very little detective business to do, and that he did not wish to have me engaged in business that was not agreeable to my feelings. He told me to return to General Granger's head-quarters, and that if he found occasion to need my services he would send for me. I have since had reason to suspect that setting me to work as a detective was simply a show of something for me to do, on the part of commanding officers, that I might be retained in the service longer, lest, in the future, something might turn up that would give them occasion to need me. At that time there was great clamoring among the soldiers to be mustered out, and orders had been issued to muster out all detached men who were not actively engaged. We remained in New Orleans until the latter part of July, when we embarked on board the transports and went to Galveston, Texas. At that place there was as little for me to do as there had been in New Orleans. Having no use for me, General Granger sent me to Columbus, Texas, a distance of one hundred and sixty miles inland, to report to General Grierson. I made the journey alone and on horseback, dressed as a citizen. For the last year and a half of my service, I very rarely wore any thing but a citizen's dress. I occupied five days in making the journey, and got through to General Grierson's head-quarters without having experienced a single incident of interest. That kind of scouting was dry business to me. It is excitement that makes the life of a scout interesting.