The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-22

cumstances. The regiment was suddenly called
upon to resist a desperate and wholly unex-
Of the, regular battlefield. The soldier states
tneS tnero was n sudden outburnt OF musketry,
and the regiment realized that there was sharp
81 stood under the colors. and as I looked
down the long line Of blue. 1 saw many faces
determination, and some were. paleand anxious.
I shall never forget the, pale features and anx.
ious look of Capt. William q. Thompson. who.
laying his hand upon my arm, rem9rked:,
Wei, Corporal. how do you feel about going
"Captain, / answered. this looks like bust.
ness; and some OF us have come here TO stay;
but put | am ~ going Ing to TT trust 81, to AZ bhroyidon0o' and think
"He remarked, i am going to be killed, and l
cannot hclp feeling So Within twenty minutGs
Spottsylvania was. the first battle OF the rcRl-
mont and In marching to the front the soldiers
Wilderness. and the general spirit Of depression
which hung over the army as the result or that
battle had not disappeared.
FoREToLD IN A DREAM.
find one instance where the depression Of
spirits was not caused by the military situa-
ton. In the Western Federal army was n regu-
remained true to the dag, Capt. duncan, McRae.
McRae's loyalty had been questioned by the
S NS5thS SrTo pfi ,Ss s sefrEIi1 ~ EGGap crn HIM Ss SRd M the
leo, he had spoken TO some of his companions
about these suspicious, and said that he pro.
pvSou W proNo MS iOyhlty On Nv "oiio",
shall never leave the battlefield alive
In tho morning before the action began he
said: " ! have seen my spectre In u dream and
! know that welcome death will come. And so
itdid under circumstances which could barely
admit OF escape. II could almost be said that
the gallant Captain committed suicide by throw
ing his life away.
Personally l Knew of but one case OF presents.
ment which came true, and even then l did not
hear the prediction, but learned IT shortly after
T 1FDm su 1aese m tn y Msi.r ! PpSSsHan sSse It wss spSsSs";
of the battalion In which | served during the
campaign from the Wilderness to Petersburg.
where 1t seemed there was nothing gained: in
fact. IT was almost destroyed before we reached
order was given similar to that which Gen. L. 4.
Grant mentions In the quotation made nbove rs
All al s sBs iins Of r.! The w ySinliGd,;ss b "a S. to ,h attack t1scr
was that the Confederate breastworks, In front
must be carried at the point OF the bayo-
days previously similar attacks had. been made,
with the result OF an awful slaughter OF men
carry the works Immediately in front OF the
regiment had failod. On the morning Of the as.
sanlt. after the officers Of the battalion had
taken their breakfast under shelter OF a rnvine
where the line awaited the signal to go forward,
Major ne iEes confessed to a presentiment that
different members of the company his watch,
some private papers, and other, yaiuables TO he
sakes an N 'a she Comrades aaa esSG pr nsser,ou With f hiP.
He was instantly killed as soon az the battalion
came under fire.
REPORTED BY GEN. WALKER.
In the History OF the Second Army Corps"
written by the late Gen. Francis A. Walker. a
book to serve as a model for Its kind. owing to
the simplicity and soberness of the narrative.
of two interpretations. A s~keptical reader
would say that the prediction on tho lips OF the
superstitious reader Would term it = genuine
prophecy. / refer to the case Of Col. L. E, Cross
Of the Filth New Hampshire, who was killed in
the haffla nf the whnnfnnl1 (,affyahprD n N Inlv
9. 1863. Col. Cross was another brave soldier
familiar with scenes OF carnage, but there were
latent In the mind "a gloomy concept to be sud.
denly called into force by a summon like the
+ Hsncock' g'e cor r,s i in w SSieHn c Coz GRO Gross then
regiment. suffered inordinate losses in battle.
gaining a reputation to be likened in some re-
spects to that of an unlucky ship at sea; that is
to say. II there was any one spot in the battle
deadlier than others it was this corps's fate to
be led into it. Cross had always been in the
thick OF the fight with the corps, and in the
his Brigade lost si1ty.two Officers out Of iiss
shot down within twenty minutes. Upon other
occasions the loss in officers had been startling.
With Hancock Endorsement, Crosss nRmo had
been sent in for promotion to a generalship, but
the Generals star had been denied him. II Is no
that the neglect stuns him. For another
thing his brigade was to be taken out Of the line
CO corps pas UTh fof had e be ann ho spS eai5ie in ., HnSih In
disaster. Now the primal Instinct of a good sol.
dier Is patriotism; next to hat is valor. and.
himself, he longs for their recognition by others.
Such recognition seldom. IL ever. comes TO those
Of these things would flash IN the mind Of q
soldier In Cross,s position when ordered into tho
to p5e xo from ON III Ha m N IN ner pers ne r sSs NEON sh s]. GrGer
og! s e9ola,me da,..., nm c,,a,u,
He was killed within a short time. and his
words, which were generally known among his
spired prophecy. This would be u natural con-
clusion II prophecies OF the kind always anne
t tt1e' not 5u tbs as rn, matter xbnn OF 1b iSef Al ~ co is the 1eu e1cepS;
ifa supposed law Of nature Is once broken 1t
cannot be called a law. but tho occurrence in
false presentiments that have como to my notice
are as notable and as strong as the so-called
true ones.
GORDON FALSE PREsENTIMENr.
One Of the most noted Confederate leaders now
living. Gen. John B. Gordon. was the victim of a
false presentiment while waging with his di.
vision a quite helpless warfare against sheri-
night he was suddenly ordered by his Superior
officer. Gen. Jubal Early. to lead out his entire
command and storm a 4 Federal fort.
II never was more indignant in my life says
Gen. Gordon, than when l heard that order.
and explained to Gen. Early that we could ac,
complish our plan of campaign without slaugh-
tering my command by this attempt to storm a
strong position. a position that would fall of
itself when we should make our proper move
ment. Early took no other notice of my expla-
nation than to send me word that II l did not
care to execute the order he would delegate its
execution TO some one else. You may guess that
This reply made me boil with fresh Indignation.
l felt II to be an insult. but inasmuch as IL was
my place to obey orders regardless OF conse-
quences. l issued the necessary instruction for
movement at daylight next morning.
" began on my own account, making every
preparation for death. for / had u prcsentiment
that would this time meet my end, SO l wrote
about my affairs, handed over my watch and
other personal, effects to q friend, and then
walked M. and down my quarters, waiting for
day to break and my: command to move. That
was n solemn night for me. for l had this Arm
Presentiment that it was my last night on earth.
felt almost as certain OF this as n man con.
demned to death. and now can pretty well nm
derstand how a man feels when he is to be exc.
cuted in a few hours. always had in every
battle Of my life u sense of the danger to which
forget IL; but this time I felt as l had never be,
fore-that my time had come and no mistake.
so at daylight l took up my line OF march to
my death as I fully expected. On we went
closer and closer to the fort. until at last xye
were within close range of Its guns. l wondekked
expected to SEQ them belch forth shot and shell
and play havoc In our ranks. On VIC went, my
eyes fixed on the guns and nv mind er,itoI IL