The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-07-06

A PERSONAL RENISIscEScE.


in the Union army, ana iile reSl-
ment TO which / belonged was de-
nloved as skirmishers in front oi
i,onrstreet's (Confederatel corps,
not far from Gainesville, Va. Dur
ING the day there was some desulto-
nv firing on the part OF the oppos'
inc forces. but no sustained engage
ment. although we continued 10
nress upon the enemy until DARK,
ness settled down and put an end
to further manouvers.
At nightfall i, with four or hye
companies of my command, remain
ed III the position occupied by them
during the day, while the rest OF the
regiment. detailed for picked duty
advanced to the front. /,
| was in excellent health and
spirits. but being greatly fatlgueed'
fell asleep almost Immediately after
the arrangements for the night had
been perfected, and soon began to
dream.
For some considerable time my
mind wandered over the events or
dwelt upon scenes which were Ia
miliar. and which, upon awakening,
/ found no difficulty in locating.
After a while, however, | wander
ed into a dreamland where all seem
ed strange. flncied myself lying
in line of battle with my com
rades in a piece of timber fringing
an open field of some considerable
extent, the farther side of which
sloped gently upward forming a
ridge parallel TO our front. Upon
the ridge ! could distinguished
something like dozen canons, and
could see the Confederates artillery
men resting upon the earth or loung-
ing in little groups with their guns,
as distincly as ! could have done
with my natural vision.
| could also perceive the pufis OF
smoke from the rifles of the enemy S
sharpshooters and hear the reports
of their firearms, and the ding and
the thud of the bullets. | might
here mention, as a further descrip-
ton of the field, that the wood in
which we lay was quite clear of I'm
derbrush: that we occupied the
edge nearest the foe, with a rail
fence between us and theciearedsp space
of which / have spoken, and this
fence some three hundred yards,
more or less, to our right turned of
at a right angle and ran quite up to
the Confederate line. As was the
case where we lay, so it was on our
right. The fence separated the
cleared field from the timber, which
latter constituted two sides of par
allelogram, the angle being, as al
ready observed, not far from the
right wing of my regiment.
While j was taking in these de-
tails, and experiencing meanwhile
the peculiar sensation which some
times annoy even old campaigners
when compelled to remain inactive
under a dropping fire. | thought
an order came for US to charge the
batteries before us.
The regiment arose, formed line,
started out from the timber, and in
simultaneously the guns upon the
heights beyond opened fire. As we
passed on / saw men fall as though
killed or wounded, and heard all the
various sounds and din of battle.
Aboutmidway in the field, running
parallel with our line, i noticed a
depression commonly called by
farmers dead furrow"-it being
the finishing Off place in plough
ed fields. We passed over this and
continued our charge across the
open space and up the slope almost
to the very muzzle of the cannon
comrades falling by scores at every
step-and then, all at once, we
seemed to be enveloped in impene-
trable darkness. Ny senses were
left blank. The next moment, how
ever, light returned and / was lying
upon the ground, fighting still go
ing on about me, but whether
wounded or not, my dream, OF
whatever it was did not inform me
While thus PROSTATE and help
less, / gazed about me and saw,
short distance in rear of the guns
small cabin, and in its gable which
was toward me, a window.
About the building were grouped
many wounded men, some standing
others lying down. In the imme-
date vicinity Of myself there seem
ed to be hundreds who had fallen
in the contest.
Casting my eyes in the direction
from whence we had come, beheld
the remnants of my command in
tull retreat. | also noticed the sun,
which was shining brightly, and APP
peared to be vicinity of an hour
above setting,
At this point | was awaked from
my slumber, and learned the time
to be about 2 p. m, of August 20
Having my dream as | considered
il, in my mind, | made inquiries
and ascertained that during my nap
everything had remained unusually
quiet, only few shots having been
exchanged on the picket line.
An hour afterward we were on
the march for Manassas and the bat
tlelield of Groveton.
/ must really confess that the
realistic character of my excogita-
tions during Sleep affected me con-
siderably, and all the more because
the scenery depicted was altogether
strange. Ny memory, though
questioned to the uttermost, lie d
to recall any locality through which
| had ever passed that at all resem-
bledit. Consequently | feltunusually
gloomy and depressed in spirits,
and all the morning carried in my
heart a presentiment, the nature Of
which can scarcely be described, Of
approaching evil.
The old battlefield of bull Run
was reached early in the forenoon,
and about II m. we were advanced
mile or so to the northward, where
we were assigned our position in the
line of battle then forming.
The station occupied by my regi-
ment happened to be in q piece oil