I went under cover of this escort to the end of their march, and the next morning proceeded to La Grange with no convoy but the few cavalry men I had with me.
From La Grange to Memphis the distance is forty-seven miles.

There were no troops stationed between these two points, except a small force guarding a working party which was engaged in repairing the railroad.
Not knowing where this party would be found I halted at La Grange.
General Hurlbut was in command there at the time and had his headquarters tents pitched on the lawn of a very commodious country house.

The proprietor was at home and, learning of my arrival, he invited General Hurlbut and me to dine with him.

I accepted the invitation and spent a very pleasant afternoon with my host, who was a thorough Southern gentleman fully convinced of the justice of secession.
After dinner, seated in the capacious porch, he entertained me with a recital of the services he was rendering the cause.

He was too old to be in the ranks himself--he must have been quite seventy then--but his means enabled him to be useful in other ways.