Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-06
A SIGN IN THE HEAVENS.
Believed by Many to he an Omen Of Jack
sons Death.

sons Death.
In the May number of The Blue and
The Gray, Colonel William G. Elan gives
the following interesting and rather re-
markable war reminlscence:
Early on Friday, May, l. 1865. Wool
folks battery broke camp and moved to
the plank road running from Fredericks-
burg through the Wilderness. Up this
road (and on each side Of it, AZ best they
could be) the guns were carried 10 meet
a line Of Federal infantry having one or
more pieces OF artillery. Grape-shot fell
thick and fast. mingled with bullets, and
to the men with Woolfok's gun, on the
road, the missiles falling on the plankS
sounded like a hail-stoTm. This gun. un-
limbered and ready to return the hostile
fire. had not delivered a shot. when, sud
denly, General "Stonewalp' Jackson rode
uD and stopped at the side Of II. At that
moment No. of the gun was still labor
ing In vain to loosen the janmed ammuni-
tion in his timber chest, and he clam
bered on top of the chest amidst a shower
of balls. to make a more desperate tug
n tug which was at last successful. 1t
had seemed a very long time. however,
to all present, before the ammunition
was got out and served; but all the while
"Stonewall" Jackson sat' there on his
horse, patient and silent: and he still sat
there until the gun, firing shell and grape
and spherical case, had caused the Fece-
rails 10 fail back huTTicd.., leaving -
large pile of knapsacks, overcoats, and
blankets at. the roadside, together with
some killed and wounded.
For the first, last. and only time the
battery was then under the command OF
the famous soldier whom Lee esteemed a.
his right hand; and next day Saturday.
May .. 1861 ii accompanied him on ~
flank movement through the Wilderness,
south of the plank road, to the point
where he struck HOOker's unprepared and
unsuspccting troops. The battery had
completed the circuit and crossed - the
north OF the plank road, where 1t faced
east, and was ordered to halt. The sun
was just setting and the battle had not
begun, although there were n few drop
ping shots as the Confederate infantry
and artillery moved down both the river
road and the plank road. Behind Wool
folks halted battery were "StOnewall'
jackson, his chief Of artillery, Colonel
Crutchheld. and others of his stan, in
mounted silent. and eXpectant group.
The artilleTymen stood or lay upon the
ground in silence. 1t was curious and
SplrIlii IlpfUtiit. anu the HlpiltNtdIy NNlli-
ness enhanced the awe Of the occasion.
1t was then that one Of Woolfolk's men,
stretched on his back. with his blanket
and Lnapsack under his head, called
attention 10 striking spectacle !. -
sky. The northern half Of the heavens
seemed brilliantly lighted up; the south
ern half was overcast with gloom. An
apparent, well-deiined. straight line
seemed to run directly East and West.
For few moments everybody gazed and
wondered until some one looked TO the
West and pointed out that the phenOme-
non was caused by cloud, black as
night, which. with a sharp and perpen-
dicular edge completely obscured the
southern half of that luminary, leaving
the northern half Of all the more brilliant
by contrast. With that explanation, fol-
lowed speedily by orders 10 press for
ward into the movement that was already
driving Hooker's surprised forces in con-
fusion, the celestial vision was forgotten
by most OF its beholders at least Tor a
time.
That nieft. as they were still engaged
In succoring the Federal wounded that
lay thick upon the half-won field, Wool
folks men heard sudden rattle or
musketry. Next day Sunday. not
"StonewalT Jackson. but another gem
eral was in command when the battle
was renewed and then II was sadly
spread abroad that the missing hero had
been wounded in that midnight fusiilade;
and some days after. all wept 10 near
that he was dead. Then some recalled
the scene in the skies as the tight began
and more than one survivor piously be-
l.eves to-day that IL was an omen OF the
great soldiers death.