placed in column and the order was repeated-- "Shoot dead instantly any
man who starts to leave the road without my permission". It had the
desired effect. Wherever I could find one they were placed in jail. In
passing through Cleburne and stopping off to pay some bills--suspicion
having been attracted to another man, I "rounded him up"--and after some
strenuous "Third Degree" questioning--he proved to be a deserter from
"Troop F" who had preceded the others by a few days-- I had now ten
deserters, and the "old man" driver of the freight wagon. As we
approached Weatherford--I began to give some thought to the two alleged
detectives or constables (?), and ransacked my brain as to the method
for their capture. The rascally old driver had, after much diplomatic
persuasion, informed me that these men were really constables and acting
detectives, and one was even then acting as Deputy Sheriff of the
County, and lived just outside of W---- While I was doubtful as to my
power to arrest either, I determined to make a show of frightening them,
and to report their case to the Civil Authorities for their disposal--
I commenced a vigorous search-- Riding into a ranch, pointed out by the
prisoners, I inquired--"does Mr. ---- live here"? Being in citizen's
clothes and alone, my mission was not suspected-- "That is my name",
said a man sitting in a chair on the porch-- "I arrest you then in the
name of the United States Government for accepting bribes of deserters
from our army, and allowing them to escape-- My men are outside in the
road--don't waste any words, but come right along"-- To my astonishment,
the man was so frightened that mounting his horse, which stood outside,
and surrendering his gun--he preceded me to the road--where he came face
to face with all of his accusers, who now seeing him under arrest, made
bold to unmercifully taunt him with his rascality--shouting--"Hey,
Johnnie, where's my $10.00?" "How much of a pile did you pull out
of me at Bear Creek (?)" etc., etc., much to the bogus detective's
discomfiture and chagrin. They had now the "whip hand". He rode like
a little kitten under charge of Corporal Charlton into W---- when a
complaint was entered and sworn to by all of the deserters, and he was
placed under bonds for his appearance at the Spring term of the U. S.
District Court at Tyler, Texas, where, some months later, the writer was
ordered from Department Headquarters to appear as a witness against him,
and th