At the end of a few days I saw that I was near a large body of troops.  It was in the morning after a hard day-and-night ride.  Fearing to approach the outposts looking weary and fagged out, I rested for an hour, and then rode up and accosted one of them.  To his challenge I said I was a country boy, and had come in to see the soldiers.  My father and brother, I said, were fighting with Forrest, and I was almost persuaded to enlist myself.

My story satisfied the guard and I was passed.  A little farther on I obtained permission to pasture my horse with a herd of animals belonging to the Confederates and, afoot, I proceeded to the camp of the soldiers.  By acting the part of the rural Tennesseean, making little purchases from the negro food-stands, and staring open-mouthed at all the camp life, I picked up a great deal of information without once falling under suspicion.

The question now uppermost in my mind was how I was going to get away.  Toward evening I returned to the pasture, saddled my mare and rode to the picket line where I had entered.  Here, to my dismay, I discovered that the outposts had been recently changed.

But I used the same story that had gained admission for me.  In a sack tied to my saddle were the food supplies I had bought from the negroes during the day.  These, I explained to the outposts, were intended as presents for my mother and sisters back on the farm.  They examined the sack, and, finding nothing contraband in it, allowed me to pass.

I now made all possible speed northward, keeping out of sight of houses and of strangers.  On the second day I passed several detachments of Forrest’s troops, but my training as a scout enabled me to keep them from seeing me.

Though my mare had proven herself an animal of splendid endurance, I had to stop and rest her occasionally.  At such times I kept closely hidden.  It was on the second morning after leaving Forrest’s command that I sighted the advance guard of Smith’s army.  They halted me when I rode up, and for a time I had more trouble with them than I had had with any of Forrest’s men.  I was not alarmed, however, and when the captain told me that he would have to send me to the rear, I surprised him by asking to see General Smith.

“Are you anxious to see a big, fighting general?” he asked in amazement.

“Yes,” I said.  “I hear that General Smith can whip Forrest, and I would like to see any man who can do that.”

Without any promises I was sent to the rear, and presently I noticed General Smith, who, however, failed to recognize me.

I managed, however, to draw near to him and ask him if I might speak to him for a moment.

Believing me to be a Confederate prisoner, he assented, and when I had saluted I said: 

“General, I am Billy Cody, the man you sent out to the Confederate lines.”

“Report back to your charge,” said the general to the officer who had me in custody.  “I will take care of this man.”