Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-06
" What is wanted 2"

"Come out here. / want you," said
Jackson.
A small, wiry man, with dark hair and
eyes, dressed in captains uniform,
came to the portico.
"Give Lieutenant Pierson here pass
to 90 on scout" said Jackson, shutting
his eyes and turning over.
Moorman went inside to O small desk,
and wrote ON short strip Of paper as
follows:
HEApo'Rs JAcKsox's CAV. DIy.. !
VERNON, MISS. June 25, 1881
Pass scout.
By order of Brig. Gen. Jackson.
GEo. MooRMAS, Capt & A. A. Gen.
He proceeded about mile down the
road to consult map, which he learned
was at the quarters of Captain Sam
Henderson. He marked out his intended
route on this map, and was told by Hen
derson that there were some scouts of his
command at Hallowman's, eight miles
east of Bear creek. He rode in the
direction of Vicksburg, and stopped over
night at the house of a planter on the
east bank of the Big Black river. Early
next morning he crossed at Richardson
ferry, and by nine in the morning was a.
Hallowman's. he found four scouts who
made this place their rendezvous, keeping
on the lookout for any Federal advance
They told Bell that the Federal picketl
we're posted just across Bear creek, AND
that they had been down in sight of then
the day before.
After dinner, two of the scouts agreed
to accompany him to within short dis
tauce of the pickets, and started out fol
that purpose. Their way lay through tall
forests, and across deserted plantations
and orchards full of unripe peaches.
Further on, the country became more
broken with abrupt hills and deep ra'
vines, covered by dense growth Of canes,
with tall timber, consisting of gum-wood,
oak, and hickory, in the ravines. Bell
had brought with him from Canton a
Federal uniform, with which he had
stated that he intended to get through the
lines.
"If the Yankees catch you with that
uniform on, and you are not able to give
straight account of yourself, you will
be pretty apt to 60 up, said one OF the
scouts. :.
swell, they must catch me first" said
Bell.
"How will you manage after you get
inside the Yankee lines p asked the
other.
well, according to circumstances /;
but / think can 90 from one camp to the
other, and play cards with the soldiers,
and get on good terms with them, and
pretend to belong to some other regiment
They will never think of doubling me. !"
Finally the scouts shook hands with
him and left him. He Immediately threw
off the Confederate grey, and donned the
Union blue, hiding the former in tree.
He then walked forward, and soon came
to Bear Creek at point where the bridge
had been burned by the cavalry few
days before. There was much fallen
timber obstructing the bank and road,
and over this he crawled across the
stream, aud pushed on by line of pros
trate trees for half q mile further, when
suddenly he found himself confronting
small column of Union cavalry. Several
men dashed forward with their carbines
cooked, demanding to know what be was
doing there, and what command he be-
longed to. He replied that he belonged
to the 35th Iowa, and had been captured
by the Confederates the day before, but
had strsyed outside of the lines. He
then asked to see the Colonel. At this
moment Colonel Stevens, commanding
the regiment, which he learned was the
Both Wisconsin Cavalry, rode up, and
Bell said:
Colonel, 1 would like to see you one
side q moment"
Certainly" said Stevens.
They rode into the bushes thirty or
forty rods from the command, which had
halted, aud Bell explained who he was,
and detailed some Of his recent move
ments. Colonel Stevens provided q
horse for Bell to ride, and sent him, in
company with lieutenant, to the head
quarters of General Sooy Smith, which
were at plantation about five miles dis
tant Bell had often reported to General
Smith, while the latter was commanding
on the line of the Memphis and Charles
ton railroad, aud was therefore well
known to him.
The reader may ascertain the high
opinion entertained of Bell by General
Smith, from the following extract from
letter written by him to Provost Marshal
General Fry, January 25th, 1864, on the
subsequent occasion OF Bells departure
from Memphis:
DEAR Fay: The bearer Of this note,
Charles s. Bell, has been the most
daring, skillful, and successful scout
that we have ever employed at the West
/ know him we'll, and tcoUld trust him
to accomplish anything he could under
faks So
WV. SooY SMITH, Brig. Cen,
Chief Of Cav. Div. of the Miss
"Where do you hail from uowS" said
General Smith.
81 am just through from Memphis BY
way Of Johnston's army 2" said Bell.
Not in that blue uniform 7 +" said the
General
mo; put this on 70 convince John
ston that was coming inside the Union
lines TO work for him"
General Smith listened with a great
deal Of interest 10 Bells recital OF bis
journey, and Of the position and strength
Of Johnston's forces.