The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-15
KNEW BIS TINE HAD COME
The Strange Presentiment Of an Irish
Soldier anne to Pass


From TIE NEBRASKA State Journal.
In the autumn of 1852 General Mcclellan
was relieved from active duty IN the Army
Of the Potomac and Gen. Burnside assumed
command. This change was very unpopu-
lar with the boys. who loved Little Mac,
aud who felt a great degree OF uncertainty
IN tie ability # the new comma der.
There was widespread discomfort II the
ranks IN consequence OF this cnange. Added
u MS, the inyncl bic strdtag.s.s we're still
ciamorlug for a tor ward movement, re-
CARELESS Of time or favorable opportunity.
In view Of these facts 1t was deemed alb
sC-Utely necessa-T tina. d battle should Do
Tough. under the new leader at the earliest
20 sIbis moment. The first battle of Fred
ericks urg was hs result. On the day Of
that battle our brigade climbed the nights
on the southeasteriy bank OF the Kappa
ham ok, opposite Freder .cksbUr-, and
halted upon the sum nit near sO.Le heavy
batteries. As we looked down upon the
river, with It's sic der pontOon bridge, with
the city upon It's oppO Ite margin, and as
we raiS5u our eyes to corresponding Nights
just back OF the city, frowning with can
non ald breastwOrkS aad swArmiIg with
confederate 5 !diery. a painful aud over
powerl e sense of the impossible task be-
fore US a I'd the deadllness of the untertGk-
ing in all its horrible magnitude forced it
self upol tie minds of ali prese 1t. \ sense
OF dut., the i4minence of the greater
danger before Us and the nearnscs of the
conflict served to close up tho ranks and to
keep nearly every man in his place.
| had been detailed with a small squad to
act as provost general to prevent falling
out and Struggling to the rear. During the
short halt on the brow Of the nights, before
the march across the river, several of the
boys came TO the rear of the column TO
leave with the chaplain valuables and mes
sages to their friends IN case anything should
hap EN-.
Among the number came Mike, large,
powerful aud coura ye0us Irishnan, a great
favOrlte in the regiment, and ma who
had always laughed at danger and had re-
j)iced at the opportunity of having a
'scr.mmage' with the lemY.
On this occasion he a peare1 to be an en-
tirely different man. He approac led the
chaplain with tears in his eyes; he gave
nj II picture of his sister living in Port
lant, his Catholic cltechism, and othe
relics, and III a choked voice gave the All
dress Of his friends, and what he then de-
clared to be his dying message to them.
The chaplain endeavored to cheer and
encourage MIN, but in vain.
"Cnapiain," SAID he, Pm not afraid to
fight; |. II not afraid to die; I'm not COW
ard; but there's something here (slapping
his breast which tells me my time has
come. Chaplain, will you please write my
lister a kind letter! She is a christian
Catholic and love her dearlyr
Sool tee word forward rang along the
line; and Mike, with tears cOursing down
his cheeks, graspei the hand of tue chap
lain and requested the good man to pray
for him. lie then took his place in the
ranks. The long column thel began TO
move slowly down the river, and soon
increasing its speed to the double-quck,
over the pontoon bridge, across the river
into the streets of the city, out on the plains
and hillside beyond it, and smoke shUc aad
shell aud death wounds, up to the VERY
frownlng jaws of death on the nights
beyond. Tne terrible charge, the murder
Gus repulSe, repeated again I'D again that
Afternoon; the night cannOna1e, the long
day following of the skirnish and m We
nent, the succeeding night and IT, early
morning aba .donment and retreat across
the river have b5en many times told. As
soon as possible after the battle the chap
lain made earnest inquiries for Mike, but no
Mike was there to answer him.
In the terrible charge he was seen to fall
in the forefront of the battle, and was
borne from the field fatally W unded. His
bosterouS, cheerful voice, good~natured
countenance, rich brogue, aud burly form
were never again with US. His was the
ihOsU MAJ Aeu aiiu SUI UllhS case Oh present.
iment Of coming death or disaster that came
under my observation in the army
Army life and its dangers made many of
us believe in fate-tnat the decree of the
great author had fixed the space of life foc
each one. We are sometimes constrained
to believe that very thin curtain was
stretched between the seen and the unseen,
and that few mortals were permitted to
look beyond Tue visible, and to receive the
absolute assurance Of the future fate. in
store for the n, a near at hand.