interrupting me, but said if I was a
patriotic man, as he had no doubt I was, I would willingly undergo a
slight inconvenience for the good of the Confederacy. I endeavored to
imitate his politeness, and begged him to proceed in the performance
of his duty, assuring him that he would find nothing wrong. He then
searched me very closely for papers, looking over my money and pistol,
but found nothing suspicious.

He next asked me who I was, where I came from, and where I was going.
I told him that I was a citizen of Kentucky, who had been disgusted
with the tyranny of Lincoln, and was ready to fight against it; that I
came to Chattanooga, but would not enlist at that place, because most
of the troops there were conscripts, and the few volunteers were very
poorly armed. I told him all about where I had been in Chattanooga,
and the troops there, for I had heard a good deal said about them as I
went down on the cars to Marietta, on the previous Friday evening. I
had also heard them praising the First Georgia, which was with
Beauregard, and now told the Major that I wanted to join it. He then
asked why I did not proceed at once to Corinth, without going so far
around the country. I alleged that General Mitchel was in the way at
Huntsville, and that I was merely making a circuit far enough around
to be out of the danger of capture.

This seemed to be perfectly satisfactory to the little man, and
turning to the crowd he said:

"We may as well let this fellow go on, for he seems to be all right."

These words rejoiced me, but my joy was premature. A dark-complexioned
man, who sat on his horse, with his hat drawn down over his brows,
raised his eyes slowly, and drawled out:

"Well, y-e-s! Perhaps we'd as well take him back to town, and if all's
right, maybe we can help him on to Corinth."

This was rather more help than I wanted, but it was useless to demur.

They conducted me to the largest hotel in the place, where I was
received very kindly. Soon a number of lawyers came in, and commenced
asking me all kinds of hard questions. I answered as well as I could.
When I told them I was from Kentucky, they wished to know the county.
I told them Fleming. Then they asked the county seat. This also I was
able to give; but when they required me to give the counties which
bounded it, I was nonplussed. I mentioned a few at random, but suspect
most of them were wrong. They said it looked suspicious to find a man
who could not bound