The National tribune., 1893-01-19
DEATH PRESENTIMENTS.
Gen. Fitz-John Porter Tells of Several In
stances.
IN. y. Press.

IN \. Press
al recall an incident in the Mexican War"
said Gen. FitZ- John Porter, which impresses
me even to this day.
at was at the siege of the City of Mexico
On Sept. -, 1912, Battery g. 4th Art, of
which / was Second Lieutenant, with heavy
guns, had fred all day at the Castle of Chapulte
pee. defended by Mexican artillery and in
fantry, preparatory 10 its being stormed by our
infantry the next day. After shutdown the
storming party of infantry Irregular troops)
passed our battery to take their positions for
the night, so as TO be ready for an early attack
In the morning. Capt. Drum and First Lieut..
benjamin. of my battery, aud myself spoke to
and encouraged our friends and their gallant
comrades as they marched by US. All were con-
ident of victory, and all were cheerful except
my friend, Lieut.. CAN'T. He was particularly
respondent, and, in reply to my salutation, ex-
claimed, with a farewell wave of his hand.
Good-by, Porter; will never see you again
His words were prophetic. Among the
storming party was Lieut.. CAN'T fearlessly
facing the fate he had predicted. He was one
Of the FIRST of our men TO be killed.
"That night Capt. Drum, Lieut.. BENJAMIN
and myself were sitting in Capt Drums tent.
Capt. Drum was quite respondent, and his
appearance and features denoted that he had
experienced a premonition of death. Finally
ne Salu 10 Tue, WISH you 10 20 OUT LOT
moment. / don't expect to live through the
| fight to morrow. and / want to arrange with
BENJAMIN, who will be my successor. my private
affairs, aud prefer 10 be alone with him.
benjamin shared Drums premonition. and
be answered: oh, Drum, let Porter remain.
], too, expect to be killed in the battle to-
morrow
81 had no such feeling, and / responded in
as cheerful tone possible: Captain, don't
hnrrovz franhlp Ag nn anticipafe
injury, / think you had better tell us both
your wishes He was persistent, however, and
left the tent, and never knew what his last
wishes were.
1.-THE next morning. and after the taking
of the Castle of Chapultepec, we moved along
the narrow road leading into the City Of
| Mexico at the fortified gate named Garita de
! Belin, in the middle of which was the arched
squeduct which supplied the city. with water
snd which afforded US some protection from
| the sweeping direct and also 8ank artillery
and infantry fire of the enemy.
"0n the way was struck by spent cannon
shot and knocked from my horse, being rom
dered temporarily unfit for duty. Drum at
once rushed to me and picked me up. ex-
claiming: Hello Porter. You said nothing
would happen to you; don't be too sure
Don't fear for me- I answered. i hope
you won't meet with any worse accident
But he was still certain that he would be
1 killed, for he replied: Good-by, will not see
you again. And he bravely rushed on to help
gain the victory we sought. despite the con.
viction that he would be a victim.
Though delayed but short time by my
| fall, when had RENOVATED and rejoined my
battery / found the Garita de Belin in our
possession aad our battery in advance batter
ing the citadel held by Mexican infantry and
artillery, whose fire, but 200 yards away, was
concentrated upon the guns in charge of Drum
and Benjamin. Almost Immediately our bat
terry was crippled, Drum and Benjamin and
/ First Serg't Baldwin mortally wounded, and
| q out of 80 men killed or wounded. Every
one of these brave men was grand hero. No
bra ser, nobler. and heroic soldiers ever lived
or ever fought better As for Drum and
/ Benjamin, despite their premonitions of Ger
tain death, they coolly, bravely and heroically
exposed themselves to that terrific fire with
| out thought of fear intent upon driving the
enemy from our front to gain the victory we
/ sought
Al have known personally Of many cases
where men on the eve of battle have expert
enced premonitions of their death the next
day, and in every instance have their forebod.
| ings been realized. / never experienced such
a feeling, though every soldier who enters q
battle realizes to greater or less degree the
dangers of death"