I had found in the grocery of Jeffersonville.

They questioned me as to my home, political opinions, and
destination, and received such answers as I thought it wise to give.
Whereupon they confronted me, to my amazement, with a member of the
Vigilance Committee which had tried me at Jeffersonville, one
hundred and twenty miles distant, thirty hours before. I was amazed,
because I did not imagine that any one of their number could have
reached Memphis before me. He had ridden after me the night of my
escape, and when I stopped for breakfast, he had passed on to
Helena, and taking an earlier up-river boat, had reached Memphis
some hours in advance of the St. Francis; long enough before me to
post the Committee of Public Safety as to my person and story when
before his committee. Even with this swift witness against me, they
were unable to establish any crime, and after consultation, they
told me I could retire. I was immediately followed by the policeman,
who handed me a letter written by the chairman, suggesting that I
would do well to go directly to a certain recruiting office, where
young men were enlisting under the Provisional Government of
Tennessee, and where I would find it to my interest to _volunteer_,
adding, substantially, as follows: "Several members of the committee
think if you do not see fit to follow this advice, you will probably
stretch hemp instead of leaving Memphis; as they can not be
responsible for the acts of an infuriate mob, who _may_ hear that
you came from the North." I was allowed no time for reflection, as
the policeman stood waiting, he said, "to show me the way." I now
saw at a glance, that the military power of the city had resolved to
_compel_ me to _volunteer_, and in my friendlessness I could think
of no way to escape the cruel and dread necessity.