410 MAJOR JOHN F. LACEY 



and made my reports on what seemed the most reliable 

 estimate. General Steele was advised of my undertaking 

 and approved it, but he was much surprised when I laid 

 before him the result of my labors. About this time 

 General Sterling Price broke through our lines and start- 

 ed to Missouri to invade that state and gain recruits from 

 the secessionists there. Steele sent for me and told me 

 to take a copy of my Rebel roster and statement of Rebel 

 army and go to St. Louis and report to General Rosecrans 

 who would send me to the front with introduction to 

 General A. J. Smith. 



A boat was ready at DuvalPs Bluff to start to Memphis. 

 A telegram was sent to hold her until my arrival. The 

 Rebel citizens came into Duvall's Bluff quite freely and 

 no doubt the word got out that the boat was to be de- 

 tained presumably for dispatches. Below Duvall's Bluff 

 there is a long bend in the river where it is many miles 

 around but only a few miles across. Whether the enemy 

 had notice of our coming or not at any rate they waylaid 

 us in a short bend of the river where the pilot afterwards 

 told me the sternwheel steamers almost invariably ran 

 into the bank in making the turn. I was lying in my state 

 room reading a copy of Pope's translation of the Iliad 

 when the rattle of musketry and the shrieks of the cham- 

 bermaid brought me to my feet. I immediately placed 

 my dispatches and papers in a large envelope, put in 

 some pistol bullets for weight and sealed the package up 

 ready to throw overboard. This I did very rapidly 

 under the heavy fire raking us in all directions. The 

 vessel began to obey the rudder and swung into the 

 stream. A soldier in the ladies' cabin called to me and 

 said, ' ' Here is a safe place, come and lie down by me. ' ' 

 As he had a marble topped table turned up between him 

 and the direction of the bullets I promptly accepted his 

 hospitality and we lay in assured security until the boat 



