put upon the watch and soon the others were fast asleep. All was quiet for about two hours, when (at 9 A. M. of the 19th) we, who served as sentinels, discovered a man walking very fast and coming upon the trail we had made. He seemed to be scrutinizing our tracks and was evidently following us, but for what purpose of course we could not tell. He approached within thirty yards of us before he raised his eyes or perceived that we were near. At the first glance, he turned and began to run; but hearing the word, Halt! he looked over his shoulder and seeing that several rifles were drawn upon him, he thought it wise to obey the summons. When he came up, we catechized him very closely,--asking him where he was from? how far he had followed us? Where going? &c. To none of these questions could he give a satisfactory answer; but crossed himself frequently and seemed much confused. He said he was a rebel, but could tell nothing about the rebel troops. We concluded that he had been sent to pursue and discover us for the information of our armed enemies, and that our longer delay at the spot would be dangerous. Our short rest and breakfast, with the excitement consequent upon taking a supposed spy, made us all ready to start at once. Our prisoner was ordered to fall in and told that if he attempted to escape, he would be shot. We soon ascended Nelson’s Ridge and from its summit we could see the rebel cavalry scouts hunting for us in the valley road below, and trying to cut us off, as they were not able on horses to follow us over the Ridge. By going very cautiously through the thickets we managed to escape discovery, safely crossed the valley road north of Walson’s Ridge and soon began the ascent of the Cumberland Mountains, where for the time we felt secure from pursuit by cavalry.