Four years a scout and spy, "General Bunker", one of lieut. general Grant's most daring and successful scouts, being a narrative of ... the experience of corporal Ruggles during four years' service as a scout and spy for the federal army

Front matter

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Preface

It was with much difficulty that I was induced to give to the public a narrative of my experience as a scout and spy. It was the intense inseterest with which the people have listened to my narratives, whenever I have related them, and their earnest entreaties to have them published, that have prevailed upon me to do so.

I entered the army from purely patriotic motives. I had no vain ambition to gratify, but simply a desire to sustain and perpetuate the noble institutions that had been purchased by the blood of our fathers. I valued the cause of liberty as well worth all the sacrifice that it might cost to save it. I saw at once that the conflict was to be one involving great principles, and that in the end Truth and Justice mtcsf prevail.

The part that I have borne in putting down the great rebellion is the one that naturally fell to me by the force of circumstances, and entirely unsolicited. My relation in the affairs of life seems to

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IV PREFACE.

have been such as to have just adapted me to that part that fell to my lot to act.

I have, without doubt, been indiscreet at times. Who has not? But the reader must remember that he who goes from the peaceful pursuits of life, for the first time, to engage in the art of war, does so with a lack of experience. Soldiering was not my tijade. War is demoralizing in its tendency. This fact, I trust, will very much lessen any feelings of prejudice that may arise, in the course of these narratives, from passages clothed with the rough-andtumble of army life.

Rough language and blunt manners are characteristics of war, because its tendency is to destroy the finer feelings of our natures. Some of the language used is of that character, and it would fail to be a truthful representation of the reality if rendered less so. The incide'nts that I have narrated are all of them facts that have occurred in my experience, and, without further apology, I submit them to an indulgent public.

Lorain Ruggles.

Chapter I

Parentage — Early discipline — Childhood incidents — Subsequent occupations — Driven from Mississippi — Works on rebel fortifications — Escape to Illinois — Enlists as a soldier — Supposed to have deserted — How he got his name — Examination by the Surgeon — Roster of the Regiment • H

Chapter II

Moves to Cincinnati — Detailed to guard the forts — Meets a secesh lady — First scout — Unexpected visit of the Colonel — The drill — Bad report — The mischief investigated — Attempts to discover the rogues — Innocent man accused — The accusers skedaddle — Who got the chickens 22

Chapter III

«* Marching orders" — Arrives at Fort Donelson — The surrender — Goes North with prisoners — Meets an old friend as a rebel Captain — The Captain attempts to bribe him — Expedition up the Tennessee River — Touching incident — Battle of Shiloh — Captures an Enfield — Recommended as a scout.... 30

Chapter IV

Rumored attack upon Grand Junction — "General Bunker" sent out as spy — Passes himself as a rebel soldier — Falls in with rebel cavalry — Visits a rebel camp — Attempts to deprive him of his revolver — Discovers a Yankee forage party — Undertakes to return — Captured by Yankees, and robbed of his revolver and money — Passes as a rebel spy — Sent to the Provost-marshal — Sent to General Hurlbut — Returned to Grand Junction... 38

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VIU CONTENTS.

Chapter V

Fired at by a citizen — The sick overseer — How he was cured — Pickets fired on — Trip to White Church — Visits General Van Dorn — Meets a rebel spy — Reports to General Leggett — Grand Junction evacuated^Again sees the rebel spy — Attempt to arrest him — Drinks wine with the rebel General Jackson — Discovers a hole in the fence 53

Chapter VI

The value of the Oath — Attempt to take " Bunker's " life — Sent to Grand Junction — The hazardous ride — Shoots the picket — The chase — Unfortunate occurrence — The chase abandoned — • Meets with guerrillas — They invite him to drink — Renewed vigilance— The battle of Middleburg 69

Chapter VII

Attempts to visit the enemy's camp — Learns the strength and position of the enemy — Return intercepted — Perilous situation — Loses his mule — Frightened by men of his own regiment — The plan to capture the enemy — The negro's report — The forces discovered — Disposes of a rebel picket — Reports his discovery 76

Chapter VIII

Sent to find the enemy's pickets — Suspicious circumstance — Sick child — Captures three citizens standing picket — Releases them — Falls asleep — Perilous situation — Fortunate turn of afi"airs — Attack on the pickets — A very pious man — He proves a rebel spy 85

Chapter IX

Sent to Somerville — Finds himself a prisoner — Taken to Cold Water — Meets with old acquaintances — Is paroled — Runs with the 2d Arkansas Cavalry — Goes to Lumpkins' Mills — Interview with General Price — Stays all night with his brother, the rebel General — Return to Bolivar — Reports to General Ross — " Steals the Colonel's horse," and returns to the enemy — Runs away from the enemy 93

CONTENTS. IX

Chapter X

Sent to Grand Junction to capture guerrillas — Suspicious incident — Strategy to get out the guerrillas — Orders disobeyed — The rebel flag — The very kind secesh lady — Tho mistake — Out of the frying-pan into the fire — Guerrillas watching for them — The attack — The prisoner — Result of the trio 103

Chapter XI

Sent to Lagrange — Observes two cavalrymen — Arrival at Lagrange — Waits for the cavalry — Accompanies them out — Takes his departure — Is pursued — Evades the pursuit — Finds himself cornered — Crosses the Cypress Swamp — Robbed by outlaws — Disloyal citizen — The fate of the robbers 115

Chapter XII

Starts to find General Bragg's forces—" Wools " the secesh farmer — Receives a bottle of rum — Guerrillas washing stockings — Finds Bragg's advance — Recognized as a Yankee spy — Ordered ofi" his mule to be shot — The clamor of the crowd — Recognized as a Confederate spy — Rebel Surgeon vouches for him — Is released — Gray-headed rebel brought to justice — The Sutler of the 2d Arkansas Cavalry a prisoner — What became of the guerrillas that were washing stockings 127

Chapter XIII

Reconnoiters Hickory Flats with a squad of seven men — Shoots at the mark — Orders to march with two days' rations — Cause of the alarm — Reconnoiter beyond Whitesville — Major Mudd's trap — "Bunker" entices the rebs into it — Rides into the trap behind a rebel Captain — Sent out beyond Pocahontas — Passes as a rebel artillerist — Secesh citizen stands guard for him — The very kind secesh lady — The anxious wife — Discovers guerrillas burning a human being :■ 139

Chapter XIV

Starts on a trip for General Lauman — His instructions — A Confederate widow — Discovers a squad of rebel soldiers — Captures part of their arms — Learns the whereabouts of guerrillas — Attempt to capture them — Guerrillas escape — Captures a prisoner — Cause of guerrillas' escape — The "General" and squad get arrested — The charges and specificationa 157

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Chapter XV

Unfortunate state of affairs — Informality of charge and specifications — Assistance of friends — Fails to get a trial — Gloomy prospects — Evidence accumulates — Guard-house incident — The "General" concludes to help himself — Narrow escape from guerrillas — The capture — Reaches his regiment — Himself and squad released 169

Chapter XVI

Starts for Grenada — Instructions — Is captured — Returns to "Water Valley — Starts again — Arrives at Grenada — Condition of Price's army — He returns — Again sent to Grenada — Proposes some fun — Plan of strategy — Plan unnecessary — Returns with rebel cavalry — Bivouac at Big Springs — The attack — More fun than bargained for — The result 182

Chapter XVII

The forage party — Runaways — Daring scout — Narrow escape — The line of battle — Safe return — Scout reports — Assumes the character of a rebel prisoner — Finds a friend — How he introduced himself — "Where he belongs — The burning of Holly Springs — The heroine — "What she captured — Shows partiality — Offers assistance — Rebel doctor executed 192

Chapter XVIII

Arrival in Memphis — Daring robbery — Detailed by the Provost-marshal General — Assumes the character of a rebel Major — Secesh acquaintances — Captures a rebel mail — A jollification — A rebel trader — Plan to run the pickets — The escape of the outlaws 204

Chapter XIX

Reports to Major-General McPherson — Instructions — Disguise — Starts for Vicksburg — Changes his route — Reports to General Denver — Acquaintance with a cotton-buyer — Plan to make money — Visits guerrilla Sol. Street — The arrangement consummated — Visit to General Price — Arrival at .Jackson — Robbed of his field-glasses — Introduction to President Davis — Visit to Vicksburg — Visit to Edwards' Station — Meets his bear-huntingr comrades — Visits Black River bridge — Robbed

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of his horse — The return — Reports to General McPherson — Reports to General Grant 217

Chapter XX

Return to Mississippi — Instructions — Visit to Troy — Movement of cavalry — Reports to General Denver — Is arrested — Federal cavalry driven back — Is released — Visits Greenwood — Journey to the Mississippi River — The perilous crossing — Again arrested — Interview with Gen. Prentiss — Takes the oath of allegiance — Meets a friend — Makes his escape — Reports to Gen. Grant. . 233

Chapter XXI

Return to the regiment — The Henry rifle — The march from Milliken's Bend — The tug of war — The army crosses the Mississippi — Capture of Port Gibson — Battle of Raymond — Amusing Capture — The charge on Jackson — Battle of Champion Hills — The rebel courier — Sharp-shooting — The gallant charge — The march to Vicksburg — The place besieged 245

Chapter XXII

First sharp-shooting at Vicksburg — Silences two guns — The rifle-pit — Shoots a Carolinian — The Carolinian's comrade — Outshoots a squad of sixteen — The defiant rebel — Shoots for Gens. McPherson and Logan — Beats the Parrot rifles — Joke on the Adjutant- General — Visit to Admiral Porter — The French spy — The disclosures — Capture of a rebel dispatch — The fate of the spy.. 259

Chapter XXIII

Sent for by General Grant — Instructions — Crosses Black River — Is captured by rebel cavalry — Sent to General DeVieu — The interview — Passes as Johnston's spy — The attempt to escape — The pursuit — Fired at by Federal pickets — Again fired at by the enemy — The pursuers driven back — Again fired at by Federal pickets — The alarm — Reports to General Osterhaus — Reports to General Grant 275

CHAPTER XXIV. Visit to Chickasaw Landing — Surrender of Vicksburg — Visit to the

city — The paroled Major— The Yankee trick — Returns to Vicks-

jjTJlrg — Made detective — Is sent to Yazoo City — Attends a guerrilla

organization — Makes them a speech — Returns to Vicksburg. 286

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Chapter XXV

Taken sick with the ague — Encounters his Satanic Majesty — The Devil afraid of General G-rant — Expedition to Bogue Chitto Creek — Captures a rebel Colonel — Enlists as a veteran — Makes a speech to the soldiers 295

Chapter XXVI

Frightened by a dead Colonel — Burns Confederate corn in face of the enemy — Gets into a tight place — A frightened Major — Captures information — A headstrong Captain gobbled up — Captures a rebel Provost-marshal General — Encounter with General Ross' cavalry — A strange adventure — Races with a rebel Colonel — A hard-hearted woman 305

Chapter XXVII

Starts home on veteran furlough — Trouble at the table — BluflFs the Captain— Suspected of being a rebel spy — Commissioned officer serves him at the table — Kind attentions at home — Silences an old maid — Returns to the front — Shot at twenty-one times — The remedy — A Union lady — The dwarf weaver — The weaver beheaded — Goes into Marietta as a spy — Confederate side of the lines — Escape from the rebs — General McPherson's death — Hard fighting 331

Chapter XXVIII

Groes to Ohio to recruit — Raises twenty-one men — Difficulty with the Governor — Visits Lieutenant-General Grant — Order from the War Department — Again in difficulty — Runs away from the Governor — Reports to General Sherman — Georgia raid — An amusing coincident — Reports to General Granger, at Mobile — Reports to General Grierson, in Texas — Makes a trip to the Upper Colorado — Incident at General Grant's head-quarters — The war over 358

Chapter XXIX

Ludicrous effect of fear — A Corporal outflanks a Captain— A good Union man — A touching appeal — A scene among the wounded — An old Secesh discovers his mistake — Suggestions from experience — Concluding thoughts 390

Introduction

Lorain Ruggles was enlisted by me in December, 1861, at Columbus, Ohio. The name of " General Bunker " was given to him by the men in his company, and it was by that name that he was most generally known in the army, and very many knew him by no other name.

Mr. Ruggles is a man possessed of great presence of mind, a strong memory, and not a little of native wit, and great power of physical endurance. These, with his knowledge of the Southern people and country, admirably fitted him for the duties of a scout.

The narratives here related are of facts that actually occurred in his experience, and very many of them are as well authenticated as any facts in history can be. I^jaere has been no aim at making this a

6 INTRODUCTION.

work of general history, but simply a narrative of personal experience, coupled with only so much of

the general history of the war as is necessary to ex-

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plain the cause of the events that transpired in his experience. Many of these are incidents of daring that are without parallel in the scout service. The following testimonials of the value of his services and the truthfulness of his reports will be read with interest :

" Head-quarters 1st Brigade, 3d Division, ") "17th Army Corps, December, 11, 1863. )

^^ Captain E. C. Downs, 20th Ohio:

" Captain — I have known Mr. Ruggles since December, 1861, when your company was first mustered. I remember very well his first expedition as a spy, in June, 1862, when the 20th was at Grand Junction, then an exposed outpost, under command of General Leggett.

"Since that time he has been continually employed on such duty, often on expeditions of extreme hazard. He has shown as much address as daring. Many a camp-fire has been enlivened with stories of his adventures while commanding officers have set high value upon his reports.

*'I remember Mr. Ruggles as one of our best sharp-shooters in the war. His skill as a sharp-shooter, as well as scout, often got him leave to go out from the line on somewhat independent duty. At Champion Hills I gave him leave to go out with company A, which was sent out as skirmishers to open the way for an advance, on account of his skill.

"At the siege of Vicksburg, he had a special permanent permission to be among the sharp-shooters on the advanced lines. On the day of the general but unsuccessful charge iu May, he was

INTRODUCTION. 7

mainly instrumental in driving away tlie artillerists from two of the enemy's guns on the right of the Jackson road.

" His Henry rifle, given to him hy Greneral Grant, was one of the marked pieces among.the sharp-shooters of the 17th Corps at that siege.

" Very respectfully, your ob't serv't,

" M. F. Force, '' Brig.-Genl Vols., late Colonel 20ih Ohio.''

"Head-quarters 3d Div., 17th Army Corps,") "ViCKSBURG, Miss., December 7, 1863. j ^'Captain E. C. Downs:

"Dear Sir — Mr. Ruggles (or 'General Bunker,' as he is better known) has acted as scout and spy for me on very many occasions since the early part of June, 1862, and is now acting in that capacity. In this character he has been remarkably successful, seldom ever failing to satisfactorily accomplish the mission on which he was sent.

»" Many scenes of his life as a spy are intensely interesting. It has been my fortune to meet in life' very few persons who could so successfully act an assumed character.

"At some future time, I shall probably be at liberty to relate a few incidents of considerable interest in his career, of which he himself is as yet ignorant.

"Very respectfully,

" M. D. Legqett, " Brigadier -General.

" Memphis, Tenn., November 28, 1863. " Captain E. C. Doicns :

"Dear Sir — You wrote me sometime since, inquiring as to the services of Mr. Ruggles as a scout and spy for the Union army. In reply I would state that Mr. Ruggles was a superior man for the work assigned him, and the information obtained through him of the movements of the enemy was always reliable.

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" In the discharge of his duties, he was active, energetic, and heroically brave. His gallantry in the service deserves honorable mention in the work of which you speak.

* I am truly yours, etc.,

"Leeman F. Koss."

" Head-quarters 17th Army Corps " Department op the Tennessee, " ViCKSBURG, Miss., December 15, 1863.

" To whom it may concern:

" This is to certify that Mr. Ruggles has been employed by me at various times during the past year, and I have always found him brave, adventurous, and truthful.

" His services as a scout have been very important, and he deserves well of the military authorities.

" Jas. B. McPherson,

" Major- General.^'

"Zanesville, 0., July 31, 1866. ' " Major E. C. Downs :

" Dear Sir — It affords me pleasure to state that I am personally acquainted with Mr. Lorain Ruggles, known in the army as ' General Bunker.' He belonged to my command, and I know he was regarded as one of the most intrepid scouts in the 17th Army Corps. He was in high favor with all our general officers, and I think rendered more efficient service in the capacity of scout and spy than any man with whom I am acquainted. He certainly deserves well of his country.

" I never knew him to give false intelligence, and in his forthcoming work should recommend it as a truthful narrative of his personal adventures, many of which I am known to.

<' G. F. Wiles, " Late Colonel 78th 0. V. V. I., and Brevet Brig.-Generaiy f INTRODUCTION. 9

"Carrollton, Ohio, June 27, 18G6. *' Major E. C. Downs, Zanesville, Ohio :

" Major — I am glad to add my testimony to the reputation of ' Bunker ' as a scout and spy. I believe him to have been the most reliable and successful scout in the Western army.

"'Bunker' had the confidence of Lieut. -General Grant and Major-Generals McPherson and Logan, which he earned by skillful labor during the campaign which resulted in the capture of Vicksburg and its garrison. ' Bunker ' deserves well of his country. Yours truly,

" B. F. Potts, " Late Brevet 3Iajor- General JJ. S. Vols."

"Carbondale, III., July 1, 1866.

" Major Downs :

"Dear Sir — I am well acquainted with Mr. Buggies, or, as we called him in the army, ' General Bunker.' He was certainly a very excellent scout, and performed great service in that branch of duties. He served as scout for me, as well as for many others, and at all times performed his part well, ran great risks ; was not only a good scout, but one of the best sharp-shooters perhaps in the army.

*' Yours truly,

"John A. Logan,"

" Washington, D. C, July 9, 1865. " Major E. G. Downs :

" Dear Sir — In the work of which you speak, you are at liberty to refer to me concerning the value of the services rendered by Mr. Buggies as a scout and spy. His reports were always reliable, and were held in high estimation by me, " Yours truly,

"U. S, Grant, '■^ Lieutenant- General U. S. A."

Such testimonials as the foregoing give the narratives contained in the following pages a reputa-

10 INTRODUCTION.

tion of reliability that can not be doubted. Whenever a mission of great danger was to be executed, Mr. Ruggles was the man that was usually chosen to perform it. His quick comprehension and heroic daring enabled him to address himself to the work, which he rarely ever failed to accomplish. Often the boldness of his designs proved to be the reason of his success. Very few have equaled, while none have excelled, him in that line of duty. Many of the incidents in his experience are so wonderful that in them the "truth seems stranger than fiction."

The Author.

FOUR YEARS A SCOUT AND SPY.

Chapter I

Parentage — Early discipline — Childhood incidents — Subsequent occupations — Driven from Mississippi — Works on rebel foritifications — Escape to Illinois — Enlists as a soldier — Supposed to have deserted — How he got his name — Examination by the Surgeon — Roster of the Regiment.

I WAS born in the town of Copley, in what is now known as Summit County, Ohio, on the 17th day of June, 1823, and at the time that I entered the army I was thirty-nine years of age. My father's name was Alfred Ruggles. At the time of his death he was living with his second wife. His family numbered twelve sons and seven daughters. I am the youngest of seven children by my father's second wife.

My father was a blacksmith by trade, and all of his sons, except myself, were learned the trade, under his personal instruction. Lorenzo Ruggles, my father's second son by his first wife, after having finished his trade, was sent to college and educated. He is the General Ruggles of the Confederate army.

When I was ten years of age my father died, leaving a large farm disposed of by a will. The children went to law, and spent the entire property in breaking the will and settling the estate. In consequence of that I was thrown upon my own labor for my support at a very early age.

My father was an old-fashioned strict disciplinarian ; in the government of his family "he ruled with an iron hand." His government was not only rigid but chilling. The deviation of a hair from the paternal command was usually followed by a whipping, and sometimes one was administered without proper investigation.

People often ask me, "WTiat is the essential qualification of a good spy ? " My answer is, " It requires an accom])lished liar.^^ I mean by that, a man that can successfully practice deception. I do not mean by that that a man must be an habitual liar. There is nothing that I despise more than a man whose word can not be relied upon. Whether deception, as I have practiced it in the discharge o^ my duty as a spy, is a moral wrong, I shall not here attempt to argue. Of this much I am sure: it has many times saved my life, and perhaps the lives of thousands of others, besides saving immense sums of money to the Government.

Whatever of the art of deception I possess has been somewhat shaped by the chilling discipline administered to me by my father. An incident or two from my early life will serve to show what that discipline was, and what eifect it may have had in my after career.

In my childhood days I was noted as "a mischievous boy." I suppose that means that I was constantly devising or hunting some sort of diversion. My father usually kept wrought nails of his own manufacture to sell to his customers. These I used to get and drive into the fence, firewood, shade-trees, or any thing else that came in my way. This my father had forbidden me to do, but sometimes the impulse of the moment would cause me to break over, and as often I would be whipped for my disobedience.

One day, as my father was going away from home he charged me particularly not to go into the shop during his absence. While he was gone I became so much interested in play that I never thought of going to the shop. Near the close of the day my father returned, and it so happened that he needed a few wrought nails to use the first thing after his arrival. On going to the shop after some, he found his nail-box empty. His last impression, on leaving, had been that I wmdd get them, and now his first impression was that I had got them. Consequently, I was immediately summoned to give an account of them.

" My son, what made you go into the shop during my absence?" inquired my father.

"Father, I did not go into the shop," I replied,

" Somebody has been there and carried off my nails. ]!*J'obody else was here but you ; you must he the one that got them."

"I did not get them, father; neither did I go to the shop. I certainly did not."

My father knew that I had been in the habit of getting them, and, though he had never known me to tell him a willful lie, nevertheless, he thought that I had carried off his nails. I had not only disobeyed, but had lied about it. It was too aggravated an offense to let pass without punishment. Taking a hickory gun-wiper that stood in a corner of the shop, he gave me a severe whipping, and then said, " Lorain, what did you do with the nails ? " Again I denied getting them, and again he whipped me, which was repeated several times. At length "forbearance ceased to be a virtue" — at least, my poor back _/e/^ so — and I said to him, " Father, if you won't whip me any more, I'll tell you what I did with them." " Well, what did you do with them ? " "/ drove them into the grind-stone hlocJc.'''' After having talked to me about the wickedness of telling a lie, he sent me into the house, little thinking that he had been forcing me to tell one.

The next morning, as I was standing by, a customer entered the shop for some nails. He had called the dciy before, and finding nobody present, and needing them for immediate use, took all that he could find, weighed them, and returned home. "There, father," said I, "I told you that I did not get your nails ! " His heart smote him for the whipping that he had given me, and he wept like a child. The incident, however, had its effect, and not many days passed until I was again placed on trial. Myself and sister Electa attended the district school. Our nearest neighbor, Mr. Moss, had a daughter about the age of my sister, who used to attend the same school ; her name was Cordelia. She was a very proud-spirited girl, and improved every opportunity to show off. Her mother bought her a new work-pocket ; this she would frequently display, and say to my sister, in a proud, haughty way, " You haint got no new work-pocket bought out of the store." It displeased me considerably to have her assume to be any better than my sister; so I resolved to stop it at the first opportunity.

One day, as we were returning from school we espied a squirrel that had taken refuge in a small tree by the roadside. Cordelia laid her work-pocket at the roots of the tree, and she and my sister mounted the fence, and commenced to climb the tree to catch it. Discovering the work-pocket, I picked it up unperceived, and started on. Coming to a bank of loose earth, where a tree had been recently uprooted by the wind, I buried it, and then returned toward my companions and called to them to come along. The girls had started to overtake me, when Cordelia, missing her work-pocket, returned to get it. She searched for it a long time, but without success. Failing to find it, she accused me of getting it, which I stoutly denied. At last, complaint was made to my father. Both of the girls had seen it lying near the tree, but neither of them had seen me have it. My father asked me what I had done with it ; but I denied having seen it. " You must have taken it," said the old man, "for nobody else was there that could have taken it."

" I must have got the nails too," I replied. This outflanked him ; he remembered having whijiped me once wrongfully, and feared a repetition of tlie same thing. The result was I evaded punishment, and my father never found out what I had done with the work-pocket.

The next summer, after my father's death, I hired out on board of one of the packet-boats running on the Ohio Canal, as cabin-boy. I continued for three summers to follow the canal in that capacity, and for four summers following I was a canal driver. The last three seasons I drove the same team, and at the end of the third season I received from the Transportation Company a prize of ten dollars for having kept my team in the best order.