The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-10
A PRESeNTlMeNT.
-, eot,I,er who Knew He Was Co
MA Wur "Reminiscences.

,.oa followed from active duty IN the
,r,ov If the Potomac and Gen. Burn
lilo assumed command This change
was very unpopular with The boys VINO
loved Little Mac and who felt a great de-
Gree Of uncertainty in the ability OF the
nov commander. There WAS wide spread
l;.content i'm the ranks IN consequence
of this change. Added 90 this. the IN
yincible stratcgisis at home we're stu
clamorinr Tor forward movement re-
.,ar,lless Of time or favorable opportunity.
La view Of these facts. u was deemed
absolutely necessary that a battle should
be fought under the new leader at the
earliest possible moment Tie FIRST
.,ttl,. If Fredericksburg was the result
On the day Of that battle our brigade
climbed the heights on the southeasteiiy
hank Of the Rappahannock. opposite
fredericksburg. and halted upon tie
.,,,nn,;t near some heavy batteries. ~
yre looked down upon the river with ITS
slender pontoon bridge with the city
mon lis opposite margin. and as we
raised our ewes to corresponding heights
inst back Of the city. frowning wiihcan
non and brcastworks and swarmine with
Confederate soldiery. q painful and over
towering sense Of the impossible task
before ms and the deadliness of the un
Jertakino i'm all its horrible magnitude.
forced itself upon the minds OF all
present
4 sense Of duty. the imminenco Of the
great dangers before as. and the near.
moss of the conflict. served to close up
the ranks and 10 keep nearly every man
in his place.
had been detailed with a small squad
TO act Us provost general to prevent fall.
ing out and Struggling to the rear Dur
ing the short halt on the brow OF the
heights before the march across the
river. several of the boys came 10 the
rear of the column 10 leave with the
chaplain valuables and messages 10 their
friends in case anything should happen
Among thenumber came Nike. q large
powerful and courageous lrishman,
great favorite in the regiment, and q
man who had always laughed at danger
and had rcjoiccd az the opportunity OF
having "scrimmage' with the enemy.
On this occasion BE appeared % hc an
entirely different man lie approached
the chaplain with tears in his eyes. He
rave him picture Of q sister living ia
Portland. bis Catholic catechi-m and
other relics. and in chosod voice gave
the address Of his friends and what he
;hen declared to be his dying message 60
them.
The chaplain cnleavoral 10 cheer and
encourage him. but in vain
Chaplain" said he. I'm not afraid
TO fight: I'm not afraid To- dies am not
a coward but there is something here
Shaping his brcasu which tells me my
time has come Chaplain, viii vou please
write my sister kind letter. She is q
Christian CatAOhcand love her dearly
soon the word forward rang along
the line. and Mike. with the tears cours-
ng down his checks. cra-psd the hand
of the chaplain ard requested the good
man To pray for him lie thea took his
place In the ranks The long column
BEGAN % move slowly down 10 the uyer.
soon increasing it4 speed 90 the double
quick. over the ponioon bridges acfo-,
the river into the streets of the city, out
on the plains and hillside beyond il amid
smoke. shot and shetland death wounds.
up To the very frowning jaws OF death
ON the heights beyond The terrible
charge. the murderous repulse repeated
AGAIN and again thai afternoon; Che night
cannonaic. tho long day following of
skirmish and movement. the succeeding
nisht and the early morning abandon
mrnt and retreat across the river have
been many times told rs soon as posi-.
be after the battle tho chaplain made
earnest inquiries for Mike; but no Mike
was there 10 answer him.
in the terrible charge he was seen
ID fail in the forefront of battle and wa,
borne from the field fatally wounded
His boisierous. cheerful voice, good na-
urcd countenancc. rich brogue and bury
form. were never again with us. lis
was the most marked and startling case
Of prcseutimcnt of coming death or dis
astcr that came under my observation ia
the army.
Army life and is dangers made many
Of us believe ia fate-that the decree of
the Great Author had fixed the span of
life for each one. Weare sometimes con
strained to believe that q very thin cur
tain was stretched between the seen ANA
the unseen, and that few mortals were
permitted TO look beyond the visible and
torcceivo the absolute assurance Of the
future fate i'm store for them and near al
hanA-L. ID. Carver in Lewiston Jour
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