s of both sides, and I also discovered that there was
a well-organized and disciplined Corps of scouts and spies within my
lines, one force operating to the east of the line, under Captain Coleman,
and another force operating to the west, having its headquarters in the
vicinity of Florence, Alabama. I issued orders to my own spies to locate
these parties, sending out scouting parties to wipe them out or drive them
across the Tennessee River.

My cavalry had had considerable experience in this work in and around
Corinth, and they were very successful and brought in many prisoners, most
of whom could only be treated as prisoners of war.

The Seventh Kansas Cavalry was very efficient in this service, and they
captured Samuel Davis, Joshua Brown, Smith, and General Bragg's Chief of
Scouts and Secret Service Colonel S. Shaw, all about the same time. We did
not know of the importance of the capture of Shaw, or that he was the
Captain Coleman commanding Bragg's secret-service force. Nothing was found
on any of the prisoners of importance, except upon Davis, who evidently
had been selected to carry the information they had all obtained through
to General Bragg. Upon Davis were found letters from Captain Coleman, the
commander of the scouts to the east of us, and many others. I was very
anxious to capture Coleman and break up his command, as my own scouts and
spies within the Confederate lines were continually reporting to us the
news sent south from and the movements of Coleman within my lines.

Davis was brought immediately to me, as his captors knew his importance.
They believed he was an officer and also knew he was a member of Coleman's
command.

When brought to my office I met him pleasantly. I knew what had been found
upon him and I desired to locate Coleman and his command and ascertain, if
possible, who was furnishing the information, which I saw was accurate and
valuable, to General Bragg.

Davis met me modestly. He was a fine, soldierly-looking young man, dressed
in a faded Federal soldier's coat, one of our army soft hats, and top
boots. He had a frank, open face, which was inclined to brightness. I
tried to impress upon him the danger he was in, and that I knew he was
only a messenger, and held out to him the hope of lenient treatment if he
would answer truthfully, as far as he could, my questions.

He listened attentively and respectfully to me, but, as I recollect, made
no definite answer, and I had him retur