As soon as the cavalry was out of sight, I made a detour through a large cotton-field to my left, and continued on until I came into a road that I supposed led direct to Grand Junction; while in company with the cavalry, we had zigzagged through the country so much that I had become somewhat confused, and I was not sure where the road did lead to. I took it, however, and moved along very fast to get, as soon as possible, as far away from the vicinity where we parted, lest, by some chance or other, I might be found going toward Grand Junction instead of Tupelo. I kept, as I supposed, a sharp look-out as I moved along, and had gone, as near as I could judge, three miles, when I was very unexpectedly interrupted in my course by a challenge of "Halt! halt! you son of a b--h!" I was considerably alarmed, for I supposed that I must have encountered a rebel picket. On looking to see where the challenge came from, I found that it emanated from a Federal picket. A clump of bushes had prevented me from seeing him until I was close on to him. My position was clear enough now. I had taken a road to Lagrange, instead of Grand Junction, and had encountered General Hurlbut's pickets. "Ha! ha! my butternut soldier!" exclaimed the guard, as I halted; "you got caught rather unexpectedly." "I reckon I did," I replied. "Where do you belong?" "To the 13th Tennessee." "You've got tired soldiering on short rations, I suppose?" "I reckon I a'n't starved yet." One of the pickets then took me to the Captain in command, at the reserve. There I was subjected to a rigid questioning and search, but I was determined to carry out my disguise until I could report to some commanding officer. My revolver and money, and other articles, were taken from me by the Captain, and then I was ordered to stand up by a tree until further orders. I remonstrated with the Captain about depriving me of my revolver and private property, and told him that "_we_ always respected a prisoner's right to his side arms and personal effects." The Captain replied that I might be d--d glad to get off so, and if he had his way about it, he would shoot every rebel in the Southern Confederacy. While standing at the tree, I observed a plantation house that stood within less than a hundred yards from me, and that it was occupied. My early start and the distance I had traveled gave me a ravenous appetite, so I asked the Captain if he would be so kind as to allow me to go to the house and get some breakfast. "Yes," said he, "you may go; but, G--d d--n you, if you undertake to get away, I'll have you shot!" "I won't run away," I replied; "I didn't come in here to run away. I'll come right back as soon as I get my breakfast." When I got to the house, I met the man of the house at the door. He had evidently seen me coming, and my uniform attracted his attention. "Good morning!" said I, as he came out. "Good morning; won't you come in?"