The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-29

l. CHURCH.
full of melancholy interest that II VII!
remain with me as long as Ire iasts.
So spoke an old Confederate soluler'
ut occurred way back in 81. We were
camped near Lookout Mountain, Tenn.
IL was the day before the battle OF MIS-
sonary Ridge IN one OF the commahis
was handsome young lieutenant from
life OF me remember his name, but
remember distinctly how he looked. lie
was gallant, spirited, intelligent lei
low.
con the afternoon before the battle he
received box from home lie mad
wife and five children. and each or them
sent some little remembrance. Among
the contents was a neat suit or clOlhes.
The lieutenant promptly and Joyiuliy en-
tered his tent and donred his new SUIT.
when he emerged with il on, his lace
wore worried look, and, IT. surprise,
We asked the cause OF the anxiety.
Boys said he, you all know mat am
no coward nor eensationalist, bu. some
how the moment 7 pat this suit on l
realized that ! would never live 10 wear
the crcases out of IL. I am as certain
to be killed in to-merrOW'S fight as that
tomorrow comes We attempted 10 ridi-
Guile his notion, but he continued 50 Sc
rious in his belief that We Gesis'ed and
left him to figure himself IN better hu-
NOR. His mind not having changed ihe
next mOrning his company insisted on
his not entering the fight In the face
81 his strange conviction ine captain
ot his company was absent, however
and the lieutenant positively refused 10
stay out SAYING an Oiiccn ShOsiI l'au
his men whenever and wherever his duty
called him AT the head Of his company
he plunged that day into the thickest
OF the fight. My company was near ms.
Almost AT the same instant each or our
bodies caught a bullet. We were carried
10 fhe side and placed near each other
under a tree 1t was evident the young
ucutenants prediction was soon 10 he
fulfilled. twenty minutes after he was
shot he died.
nut now comes the strangest part OF
the story the part wnicn mot dI'tttrt
me, and which l always hesitate to re-
late" continued the Colonel in ne
last moments Of that young soldiers life.
while hc WAS lying there dying, with ms
head in the lap Of a poor comrade. l
heard his moan-'My poor vie and hye
nttI> children What VIII become or
them lie died 8 few minutes after
wards Just at the noon hour.
NY wound was not serious. and was
out again in couple of days As /
was limping around the young Georgia
soldier in whose arms Lieutenant
had dSN ran 10 me and inquired OF |
had communicated the fact OF the sol
diers death 10 his wife. I replied that
i had not; that ] did not know even
the name or residence Of the unfortunate
man. and only had n few hours camp ac-
uuan.ance with him. Read this, he said.
handing me letter directed to the dead
lieutenant. IT was written by his wife.
and expressed her intense anxiety. II was
datal on the afternoon Of the Gay on
which the battle of Missionary RidEe was
fought The loving wife wrote that II
noon Of that day as she sat musing miles
away IN Georgia, on the events of those
stormy times she was startled by what
she thought was the voice OF her husband
moaning plaintlvoly: My poor wife and
nve little childreni What WIN become OF
them The voice was. she said so dis
tinctly that OF her husband that she
rushed 10 the door. and not finding him
there, searched about over the place for
him. She wrote that she could not rec
oncile the occurrence. and that il had
added TO her anxiety. She begged her
husband TO hasten reply, that she might
know her fright had been fooiisn nut.
az helped the honest soldier write the
melancholy letter advising the loving wife
Of her husbands brave conduct and I'M
timely death We told her all of the cir
cumstances that led up TO II. and sent her
all Of his simple belongings and the gifts
he had received on the eve Of tho battle
excepting the fatal suit. That was burned
by the sturdy comrades Of the unfortunate
victim as though 1t had been thing Of
evil"
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well at twenty-five as il Is to be a he al
thy. splendid woman nj thirty" We're the