My plan was to leave my men there, and ride into town myself and find the guerrillas, and, if they were not concentrated, to find their leader and have him get out his men, to capture a small squad of Lincoln cavalry that I would report as feeding their horses near town, and while he would be getting out his men, I would reconnoiter to see if they were still there, tell the Federal officers where to place their men, and then go back and act as guide to the guerrillas. Having given all the instructions that I thought were necessary, I rode on into town. As I drew up in front of the Percy House, the doors of the house were being opened, and "mine host" came out. "Good morning, sir," said I, as he made his appearance. "Good morning, sir," said he, eyeing me closely. "Have we got any cavalry here?" "No, there is none nigher than Davis Creek, three miles from here." "Have we got any guerrillas here?" "Yes, some. Why, what do you want?" "Thar's a squad of Lincoln cavalry right up thar," said I, pointing toward my own men. "Where are you from?" he inquired, as if uncertain whether I was right or not. "Oh, _I_ am all right. I am just from Memphis, and, as I was coming in this morning, I saw a squad of Lincoln cavalry feeding their horses, and I would like to get out a squad of _our_ men and go and capture them." "Well, I don't know how many guerrillas there is here; but there is Captain Robison, that keeps the corner grocery, and lives across the street as you go round the corner; he is Captain of the band, and he can tell you all about it." "Thank you;" and I started off to find him. When I got round the corner, I saw a nigger coming from a house that I took to be the Captain's; so I waited till he came out to me. I learned from him that it was the Captain's house, and that he was at home. Just then I was startled by the tramp of horses. Knowing that it was not time for my men to come in, I very naturally supposed that it was rebel cavalry. I went back to the corner to see what it was, and there came my own men, the cavalry on a gallop and the infantry on a double-quick. Instead of waiting _thirty_ minutes, they had only waited _eight_! I was vexed to have my plans, through disobedience of orders, spoiled; and more so, because I had learned from experience that all attempts to convict a guerrilla after he was captured would be futile unless he was caught with arms in his hands fighting against us. With the oath of allegiance in their pockets, and the use of their oily tongues, they invariably managed to get released. We then arrested Captain Robison, and such other persons as, from their actions, we had reason to believe belonged to the band.