Four Years a Scout and Spy: "General Bunker", One of Lieut. General Grant's Most Daring and Successful Scouts, Being a Narrative of ... the Experience of Corporal Ruggles During Four Years' Service as a Scout and Spy for the Federal ArmyDowns, E. C. (Edward C.)
History
Four Years a Scout and Spy: "General Bunker", One of Lieut. General Grant's Most Daring and Successful Scouts, Being a Narrative of ... the Experience of Corporal Ruggles During Four Years' Service as a Scout and Spy for the Federal Army
Downs, E. C. (Edward C.)
Ruggles, Lorain, 1823-1902; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives
The next day after the battle of Shiloh, a circular was sent to the
company commanders, from brigade head-quarters, requesting them to send
in the names of such men as were trustworthy and suitable for scouts.
Captain Downs (formerly Lieutenant Downs) sent in my name as one, which
opened the way for the experiences that I shall narrate in the following
chapters.
Early in June, soon after the evacuation of Corinth, the 20th Ohio
Regiment moved to Bolivar, and soon after to Grand Junction, Tenn.
CHAPTER IV.
Rumored attack upon Grand Junction--"General Bunker" sent out
as spy--Passes himself as a rebel soldier--Falls in with
rebel cavalry--Visits a rebel camp--Attempts to deprive him
of his revolver--Discovers a Yankee forage
party--Undertakes to return--Captured by Yankees, and
robbed of his revolver and money--Passes as a rebel
spy--Sent to the Provost Marshal--Sent to General
Hurlbut--Returned to Grand Junction.
Soon after the evacuation of Corinth by the forces under General
Beauregard, a part of General Grant's army was distributed along the
Ohio and Mississippi and the Mississippi Central, and also the Memphis
and Charleston Railroads, to garrison the principal towns and open up
communication for supplies by railroad instead of by the Tennessee
River, which was becoming so low as to be an uncertain route for
supplies.
At the time I speak of, Grand Junction was garrisoned by a small brigade
of infantry and a battery of artillery, under command of
Brigadier-General M. D. Leggett. Grand Junction is situated on the
Mississippi Central Railroad at its junction with the Memphis and
Charleston Railroad, and was an exposed outpost.
A rumor had become current among the citizens that a large force of the
enemy's cavalry was in the vicinity, preparing to capture the brigade
garrisoning the post. General Grant, who was still at Corinth, informed
General Leggett by telegraph that his command was in danger; that an
attempt would be made to capture his force; that he would be attacked on
his right by cavalry and on his left by infantry, and advised him to
vacate the place and fall back to Bolivar, twenty miles north of Grand
Junction, where the Mississippi Central Railroad crosses the Hatchee
River. The enemy's force was represented to be 900 cavalry at Davis'
Mills, and three brigades of cavalry at what is known as the White
Church, on Wolf River, the former nine and the latter twelve miles from
Grand Junction, in a south-west direction. An additional force of a
division of infantry were said to be at Salem, seventeen miles
south-east of Grand Junction.
General Leggett had some doubts about the rebels having very much force
near the place, and the large quantities of cotton that were being
brought in, and the abundance of corn for forage, made it an object to
hold the place as long as prudence would admit, and he resolved to
ascertain whether there was any cause for alarm before vacating it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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