others by themselves, they put little confidence in the fact that A.B. has sworn to this or that; and hence they watch him as carefully after as before.  The North should know that oaths taken by Southerners before provost-marshals, in recovered cities such as Memphis, Nashville, &c, are not taken to be observed, as a general rule.  They are taken as a matter of necessity, and with a mental reservation, that when the interests of their State demands, they are freed from the obligation.  That this is a startling statement I admit, and if called on for the proof I might find it difficult to produce it; and yet from what I saw and heard scores of times, and in different parts of the South, I know it to be indubitably true.

An incident which occurred about the 20th of June, both endangered my escape and yet put me upon the way of its accomplishment.  I rode my pet Selim into the village of McMinnville, a few miles from the place of my sojourn, to obtain information as to the proximity of the Federal forces, and, if possible, devise a plan of getting within their lines without exciting suspicion.  As Selim stood at the hotel, to the amazement of every one, General Dumont’s cavalry galloped into town, and one of the troopers taking a fancy to my horse, led him off without my knowledge, and certainly without my consent.  My only consolation was, that my noble Selim was now to do service in the loyal ranks.  My best wish for my good steed is, that he may carry some brave United States officer over the last prostrate foe of this ever-glorious Union.

The cavalry left the town in a few hours, after erecting a flag-staff and giving the Stars and Stripes to the breeze.  Within a few days a squad of Morgan’s cavalry came in, cut down the staff, and one of them rolling up the flag and strapping it behind his saddle, left word where General Dumont could see the flag if he chose to call.

I left soon after the Federals did, but in an opposite direction, with my final plan perfected.  Spending two or three days more with my kind friends on the farm, I saddled my remaining horse, and telling the family I might not return for some time, I rode through McMinnville, and then direct for Murfreesboro, at that time in possession of the Union forces.  When hailed by the pickets, a mile from the town, I told them I wished to see the officer in command.  They directed me where to find him, and allowed me to advance.  They knew far less of Southern cunning than I did, or they would not have allowed me to ride into the town without a guard.  When I found the officer, I stated that some Federal cavalry had taken my horse in McMinnville a few days ago, and I wished to recover him.  He told me he could give me no authority to secure my horse, unless I would take the oath of allegiance to the United States.  To this I made no special objection.  With a seeming hesitation, that I might wake up no suspicion of being different from the masses of farmers in that region, and yet with a joy that was almost too great to be concealed, I solemnly subscribed the following oath: