Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Poetry and Incidents., Volume 4.
Frank Moore, Ed.

How Cheatham Cheated ‘Em.--The Cairo correspondent of the St. Louis Republican visited the rebel camp at Columbus under a flag of truce. He relates the following story, told by the rebel Gen. Cheatham, of the manner in which he escaped capture at the battle of Belmont, Mo.:

Just as the opposing armies were approaching one another, Gen. Cheatham discovered a squadron of cavalry coming down a road near his position. Uncertain as to which force it belonged, accompanied only by an orderly, he rode up to within a few yards of it, and enquired:

What cavalry is that?

“Illinois cavalry, sir,” was the reply.

“Oh! Illinois cavalry. All right; just stand where you are!”

The cavalry obeyed the rebel order, and unmolested by them, who supposed he was one of the Federal officers, the General rode safely back, directly under the guns of another Federal regiment, which had by that time come up, but who, seeing him coming from the direction of the cavalry, also supposed that he was one of them. Some of our officers remembered the incident, and agreed with the hero of it, that if they had known who he was, it was very probable that there would have been one rebel general less that night.