awton is to go on the Decatur road--while you (the writer) are to
follow the Weatherford road-- You are to cover all of the intermediate
settlements near and beyond those towns, seeking at all times the
assistance of the Civil authorities and holding out to them the prospect
of the Government reward ($30) for the apprehension and delivery to
you of each deserter-- The towns should only be entered at night and
then with a deputy sheriff or other civil officer-- It should be
systematically and thoroughly searched-- Should you find that these
deserters have headed for the railroads, and you have traced them that
far--and it becomes necessary, drop your detachment, leaving it in
charge of one non-commissioned officer, while you take the other with
you, continuing the pursuit, even if it leads to Galveston and New
Orleans, or, even to New York"--and then, hesitating somewhat--he
added--pitching his voice to a high key, and as was his habit--snapping
the stumps of his amputated fingers--"_I don't want either of you to
come back until you have accomplished results-- I want these men brought
back and punished_-- Obey the _Civil Laws_ and if they are not violated
and you stick to the spirit of your instructions, I will cover all of
your acts with a '_blanket order_.'" The writer suggested that Lawton
and himself, and the Corporals whom we might select to remain with us
wherever we went--should go in citizens clothes, since, if we had to
"cut loose" from our detachments, we would be able to co-operate more
effectively with the Civil Authorities when we might be acting as
detectives about the large towns, especially at night-- To this
Mackenzie readily agreed, saying that it was an excellent and practical
suggestion-- He included this idea in his instructions-- The writer had
been at an immense conscript and draft rendezvous during the Civil
War--among the worst classes of "substitutes" and "bounty jumpers"--ever
known in the history of our Army-- They were deserters from every Army
and Navy of the world; had come over here for the huge bounties paid
under our vicious conscript laws--only to desert--re-enlist and repeat
the method again and again-- We frequently mingled with them in citizens
clothes--got their plans, and either thwarted them or caused their
arrest and punishment; On one occasion the execution of two for
desertion.

We thought that these instructions were very lucid and certainly were
very wide sweeping--enough so