eluding the pickets. Having once got within the Federal lines again, I hastened to the French market, where I obtained some breakfast, and where I remained until the streets began to be filled with people, before venturing to return to my room. My idea was to have any one who might happen to take particular notice of me think that I had been marketing. So, soon as I concluded that it would be safe for me to show myself, I passed up St. Peter Street to Rampart Street, and from thence to my room. On reaching my apartment I locked myself in, and went to bed to take a good rest.
In the afternoon of the same day I wrote a note to one of the officers of the thirty-first Massachusetts regiment, whose acquaintance I had made shortly after the Federal occupation of the city, and he very politely answered it by calling upon me. It was my intention to let him know that I had been out of the city, so that, in case any one should have been making a note of my movements, with a view of reporting them at headquarters, there would be somebody on hand who would be able to give my version of the case, and thus probably prevent any investigation, and stifle suspicion. I therefore, after a little general conversation, gave my visitor to under stand that I had been out of town ; and on his inquiring my whereabouts during my trip, I told him that I had been to Carrolton, on a visit to a friend. He believed every word I told him, without the slightest hesitation ; and after some further talk about matters of no moment, he went away, leaving me tolerably well satisfied with having successfully accomplished my errand, and with having taken all proper precaution to avoid getting into any trouble about it.
Before Butler.
Unluckily for me, however, the very thing upon which I had not calculated, and which I had no power to prevent, occurred. The officer to whom I had intrusted my despatch was captured, and the document was found upon his person. Through some means, which I could not surmise, the provost marshal was informed that I was the writer of the despatch, although the name signed to it was not the one he knew me by. A negro was found, too, who swore that he had seen me walking along the river, outside of the lines, and the result was that I was placed under arrest, and taken before Butler himself.
Butler was not the handsomest man I ever saw in my life,
