Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-11-13
STRANGE PREmOSfTfoN.
A Gallant Iowa Soldiers Prophesy
and How IL Was Fulfilled.

/ rANSE toN.
a Gallant Iowa Soldiers Prophesy
and How % Was Fulfilled.
/ am personally connected with one
/ of those sad incidents which can never
be removed from my memory During
i our Transient rendezvous near Memphis.
| Tenn, IN the month of June. 1864. We
were in doubt as to where we would be
sent. We had in our company one Of
those free-hearted, lively, care-drIve-
away fellows in the perso n of Robert
A Long. Corporal Long was the song
ster Of our company, and was specially
/ gifted IN that talent. We all loved
I ObeTt. for no one could feel bad IL
Bob" was round, for he could soon
have the Toys dancing or roaring with
laughter Al his matchmaking. Noble,
seneTou hearted was our Robert, who
vas tine specimen of physical develop
nient. anu who happened to be my
mess-mate- Soon, however, our anX-
iety 10 move was gratitied, but to what
point OF the compass remainded to u.s.
IS 10 all other soldiers, unexplained.
Sunday morning, tile 26th day OF June,
opened up TO Us with its balmy Stiffness
the birds seeming to withhold their us
ual morning chorus, when the drums
began the reyeille. and the orderly NY
ing around among his company with
'Fal IN, Co G-eveTy man of you be
ready 10 move in five minutes" While
the boys We're getting knapsacks, tents,
etc, IN readiness, Corporal Long came
10 me and said:
don't know why, But / .sln going to
be killed. l wish you to lake this pic
tuTe OF my sisters and these letters of
my mothers and fathers and this Tes-
lament, and should / never return again,
please send them 70 my mother in Iowa.
"Why; Robert, " said /, what makes
you so sad Have you not as III uch Sc
curity and guarantee of safety as others
of our comrades2 Besides, it will be
terrible to think of you being killed, as
We can't get along without you,
Robert
~ can't help it''' he said. Some
thing tells me l will not see the setting
Of to-day's sun"
well, Robert" said /, 81 hope you
Will lind yourself mistaken and be with
US again soon; and L will take special
care of these articles which you entrust
To my care, and should circumstances
require that deliver them TO your peo-
pie, Will do so. And now Robert las
We grasped hands,, goodbye, and do
not feel so despondent, for We hope TO
meet you round the mess tonight
shall never forget the expression in
his face as he said farewell, and no
word ever sank deeper into my heart.
The noise and confusion was soon re-
moved by the orders from the Lieuien-
ant-Colonel, and at Fright face
marchI' the regiment, with Company
G and our Robert, was soon away and
the train passed us in the distance, and
we turned our attention to duties in
cumbent of hospital service in the field
The regiment moved at about $50 \.
NJ While / was busy III tile forenoon,
probably eleven A. NJ, the telegraph
brought US the sad intelligence OF the
death of Robert y Long. 1t seems
that OGe of Company G's men was
wounded by bushwhackers and the
train stopped, rs it became necessary to
leave this man at a small station (Col-
liervtlle), in charge of a surgeon and
three men. After the detail was male
out It was filed by mistake, Robert
Long being one OF the detail, and an
other man had tlken his pla =. After
the train started tie officer ia charse
called on Robert (who was still on the
moving train To come and help. Rob
ert, on hearing his name called, be Ian
TO make all haste u get of. lie threw
his gun, and it stuck In the ground on
the bayonet He then climbed down
the end of the freight car, and got
around on the bumpers IN order To
jump out. The train had now gained
velocity. Robert made
the spring, but there was a large nail
driven into the end of the car, which
caught his knapsack strap Just as lie
sprang, and he fell beneath the wheels
or that heavIly-loaded freight train,
and seventeen cars passed over him
about the middle of his person.
While the second car was passing
over him he reached out both hands for
help, but, alas too Late, As his body was
hattened as thin as a silk ribbon We
at the field camp could not believe il,
until a second telegram confirmed the
first as fatally true The weather being
very warm; they could do no more than
bury our comrade under the spreading
branches of a large old oak near Col
lieTyille, to await the morning when we
will be called together to answer the
great rOll-call beyond. / would like to
hear from others of the 45th Iowa.