The National tribune., 1889-06-13
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
PREMoNITIoNs.
Mysterious Warnings in Cases Of Danger.

bnt nv mothers voice softly calling my name
would open my eyes IN an instant. Sleeping on
the ground, tired with long march or day OF
battle, muskctry might roar along the line, or
shells 90 screaming and bowling overhead, and
would not waken; but let a note of alarm
from the camp picket be sounded and sleep
would vanish. This alarm. however, never
drove sleep from my eyes quicker than when,
in a dream, / have heard my mothers voice
softly calling my name. l wOnid at once sit
upright, with eyes wide open, with every sense
alert Al such times il has always served as
warning. Would you believe it, that voice
calling my name has four times saved me from
death or captivity
] heard II one night in a picket reserve on
the banks Of the Rapidan, at Raccoon Ford.
Sitting up and peering over the huge campfire
and the soldiers soundly sleeping around II.
saw moving figures in gray clothes among the
trees and knowing an alarm would be too late,
crawIed away into a thick clump Of bushes and
concealed myself just as the foe, with a scat
tcring volley, rushed in upon the surprised
company and captured every man but me. a
number of these men were starved 10 death In
AndersOnville.
Once, while acting as a temporary safeguard
at a house in the western edge Of the Shenan-
d0ah Valley. / was awakened IN the night by
the same voice calling my name, aud rising
and peering out OF a window, saw the figures
Of several men moving outside IN the partial
moonlight. Then l heard them talking in
suppressed tones, and caught enough TO learn
that they were seeking my life. Overhead in
the ceiling was hole that opened into low,
Wretched garret. Into this l clambeTed aud
hid. The bushWhackers searched the house,
but missed me, In the morning ] was relieved
from guard and Joined the regiment.
This warning signal has been given me while
awake. 1t came 10 me one day during a re-
cOnnOlssaace our cavalry was making near
Madison Courthouse, Va. We struck the enemy
and were met by pretty strong force The
enemy sbelled US. and We sought shelter IN
piece Of woods. Most Of Us dsmounted and
stood behind trees. The tree i got behind was
very large oak, and over my head, about 10
feet from the ground, grew a large limb about
seven inches in diameter Suddenly / heard
my name uttered in the old familiar voice,
and Immediately led my horse away from the
tree. I had not gone % steps when shot
struck the limb close TO the tree, and II fell eX
actly where had been standing.
During the later days Of the rebellion, while
Grant was investing Petersburg our cavalry,
IN its movements rested for a few hours at
point called Five Pines. l have always sup
posed the name was derived from the fact that
IN open field near where we biVouacked, five
huge pine trees stood in a perfect circle not
over 10 feet in diameter. Within a quarter Of
q mile n either direction from where these
pines grew were no other trees Shortly after
we halted, took my canteen, as well as sew
eral others, and started TO I'LL them at a spring
beyond the pines On the way back there
came light sprinkle of rain and few peals Of
thunder from a heavy. detached cloud. Reach
ing the pines / entered the circle and stood
looking up at the treessWhen, as distinctly as
though uttered by person within few feet
OF me, heard my name, and IN the well-re
membered voice. The instant il was uttered
left the pines and started on 4 run towards the
camp ] had not gone hundred yards before
there came deafening shock that nearly threw
me to the ground, and. looking back, the bases
Of the pines were enyeloped IN a cloud of dust.
Going back ] found that q bolt OF lightning
had struck the trees and what seemed 10 me
peculiar, every tree IN the circle showed the ef-
fects Of the stroke, the bark Of each being split
or rent open from top TO bottom. The ground
within the circle was torn up as though rooted
byswine, and the air was filed with sulphur
Gus OdOr.
This was the last instance in my life where
warning came 70 me in this particular man
ner. Should i ever hear it again would I'M
mediately change my position or deViate from
any course l might be taking.
These Instances already mentioned are not
by any means the only ones In my own expe-
rience where premonitions have been felt and
BY putting faith IN them and changing from
the regular position W0old otherwise have oe-
cupied, have been able to live TO relate how
mysterio1sly and yet surely they have been the
means Of saving my life. From what / have
seen Of these warnings and premonitons, and
the results that have followed, ] am led to be-
lieve that a soldier may be justified in taking
al reasonable means. even in battle, TO avoid
standing marching in the place where he
would be regularly assigned.
Only few days ago ] was reading the expe-
rlences OF an army officer, who claimed he had
often seen the death-Inark on men previous TO
their being killed IN battle. Many viii scout
at such an idea and disbelieve the statement:
r7sAfg1
which TO base such assertions. It is true that
N my own case / have frequently realized
something peculiar In the faces or movements
OF men that at once forced the impression upon
my mind that those men were soon 70 die. With
this feeling strong within me / at first put no
faith Ia it as prophecy. merely considering it
mental Illusion; but when one after the
other OF these very men were the first 10 fall /
began TO put faith IN II, and endeayOred to have
the subject make some change from the regu-
lar position he would occupy when going into
battle.
On tie afternoon preceding the fierce cavalry
battle II Beverly Ford, Va, was riding at the
head Of our company conversing with Lieut..
Reeves. who was IN command OF the company
dc told me he expected to see one of the hot
est fights on the following day that we had
ever been engaged in. Somehow there was a
mOurnful cadence in his voice that had never
heard before, and as he turned his eyes to mine
while speaking ! saw and felt something that
seemed 20 tell me he was doomed. ! could not
shake of this feeling but / feared 10 speak 10
him about it, believing he would ridicue me
if ! did. In the very beginning of the next
days battle bullet pierced his heart.
Rossers rebel cavalry made a sudden dash
upon our pickets, one sharp Winter night, ia
the Shenandoah Valley, south Of Winchester.
The piekets were driven in so rapidly we had
barely time, ~ the camp TO get in line to repel
the attack. The Captain Of my company or
dcred me 70 remain IN the camp and supervise
the packing Of the company records, and have
everything ready to move IN case our forces
were driven back. My tent mate was a man
from ChenangO County n. Y, who had left q
wife and children behind him. While he was
saddling his horse ] noticed upon him what
firmly believed 70 be the death mark, and ap-
preaching the Captain / requested that this
man be left IN camp, either with me or in my
place. Ny request was refused. just as the
company was forming in line, my tent mate
rode Hp 10 me aud thrust slip of paper into my
hand, ying that il contained his wife's address
and requested me TO write TO her If anything
happened 20 him. de said he could not shake
off the feeling that he was going TO be killed
] urged him TO the Captain and try and ge
excused but he made no effort of the kind
RosseT's cavalry was driven away, and In a few
hours our forces returned to their old camping
place. All our company returned IN safety ex
cept my friend. He was found dead on tn,
held by squad Of men that passed over the
ground the next day
have often thought that most soldiers have