TWO SCOUTS. 177 



and curious. He was employed in a much more 

 regulated manner than Dixon, and we generally 

 knew his whereabouts. Every interview had with 

 him, either within our own camp or when we 

 were abroad, had to be so skilfully managed that 

 no suspicion, even in the eyes of his catlike wife, 

 should attach to him. He never came into our 

 lines except as an unwilling prisoner, and was 

 never sent without them without dire admoni- 

 tion as to the consequences of his return. 



On one occasion Pat Dixon reported that a 

 detachment of Forrest's command, about three 

 hundred strong, had crossed the railroad and 

 was moving north in the direction of our camp. 

 At this time the preacher was near us, and I 

 had an interview with him. He doubted the 

 report, but would investigate. I told him we 

 would start the next day, with five hundred 

 men, in the direction of Trenton, — where he 

 was to hold a prayer-meeting at the house of 

 one of Forrest's captains. The meeting was held, 

 and after it was over, the subject of the advance 

 was talked over very freely by the officers pres- 

 8* L 



