Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-12-09
from the Alexandria Gazette. J
A Soldiers Fatal Presentiment.


An old negro was asked if he be-
lieved in ghosts. mo, boss" he re-
piled, Il don't zackly b'leve in EN-,
but I mighty fraid of en-" And so
about presentiments few of us believe
in them, but we would rather not have
them, all the same. The following in
cident may prove of interest to those
who are fond of specializing on such
things. No more light-hearted, gay
and cheerful young soldier and can
noneer than bob" Todd, Of our COM
pany, ever marched to battle. Fatigue,
danger and Priyation never daunted
or depressed his spirits. His merry
talk and hearty laugh cheered the
camp FIRE and the forced night march,
and he sang his songs as gay when
marching to battle as around the
"bivouac fire.
Loud let the big>guns roar as they will,
Wen be gay and happy STILL
Gay and happy, gay and happy,
Wen be gay and happy still.
That was the chorus to his favorlte,
and it heartenened us up to hear him,
too, many time. Well, in the au-
tumn of the last year OF that dreadful
war, when fighting got TO be almost
daily, one evening news came that
early that morning We were to advance
with our battery, and it was more than
probable we would 90 into battle. 1t
was noticed that Bob was altogether
unlike himself He was quiet and aP-
parently depressed, thing so new
with him that it called forth remarks
and questions from his comrades. He
tried hard to rally, apparently, but
without success. Next morning, a
lovely day in October, we moved out
early, advanced down the broad road
a mile or so and halted to await orders.
Bob's depression seemed to hang to
him so, as we all "stood at ease there
in the road, that one OF the officers IN
a kindly way asked him to say what
was the matter with him. "Lieuten-
ant" he replied, Il have had for sew
eral days presentiment that | would
be killed in the next battle, and do
what | could | have not been able to
shake it off. | firmly believe if we 60
into action this day it will be my last
battle" The officer tried to laugh
him out of it, and rendered him a piece
of tobacco, with the remark that 1t
would STEADY his nerves. Hardly
had the words been uttered when a
staff officer came gallopiEg up to the
head Of the battery and spoke a word
to the captain. The latter turns sharp
" in the saddle and quick and loud
the orders came, Attention Drivers
and cannoneers mount. W The drivers
vault into the saddle and the gunners,
nimble as monkeys, spring to their
seats on the limbers and caissons.
Forward trot, march T. and we are
off with the rattle Of chain harness,
the rumble of wheels and laundering
tramp of a hundred horses. Along
the wooded road we 60 and ahead we
see the opening. Now, we hear the
pop, pop, pop, Of the skirmishers, fol-
lowed by the crash Of nusketry as we
emerge upon the battlefield. The
staff officer, sitting erect in his saddle,
rides at the head Of the battery to
guide us to our position on the field.
He points with his sword to a hill on
the right, and breaking from a trot to
furious gallop we 60 tearing across
the field amid cloud Of dust and fly
ing gravel. Forward into line =
Right obliquel" March J. "Halt J.
"Action front - Unlimber Take
equipments !" load with shrapnel J.
shouts the captain, while his orders
are repeated by every officer. The Elk
guns are whirled around and the gun
ners rush to their posts. Bob Todd Is
No. 8 at his piece and his duty is to
serve the "vent. He slips on he
thumb-stall and with alacrity places
his thumb upon the vent. The ene-
my 5 artillery, who had observed u'
come into action, opened on US at point
blank range. And as Bob stepped
clear Of the wheel to avoid the rebound
of his gun, a shell came from the en-
emys battery and struck the gun
square on the face, completely closing
up the mouth, glanced aside, cutting
down the wheel, then exploded, a large
piece catching Todd in the ade, cut
ting him nearly in two and hurting
him back ten feet, and he was dead
man before he hit the ground. Sc
sudden was the catastrophe that
though no other man at the gun wa
hurt the whole detachment inyolun'