The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-10-06
A SOLDIERS
pRESENTINENT.
How It Bore Fruit at the
Charlottesville Battle.

and a thought that shortly you would meet
with disaster? Well. ii you have not, l
have and it kept with me for days and nights
before the calamity fell upon me.
My regiment had been lying in camp ut
Aqua Creek, Va, the Winter of 1862 '63,
drilling skirmish and light infantry tactics,
when, on April 27, we were given orders to
march, with five days rations, 60 rounds of
ammunition, knapsacks, overcoats and extra
shoes, which were discarded in such great
numbers on the second day march that they
were gathered in great heaps and burned to
prevent them from falling into the hands of
the enemy.
The Paymaster had invaded orr camps at
Acquia Creek and paid some OF the troops,
but our regiment received their pay while on
the march | receive Sl35, and after count
ing it had thought what q nice sum to send
my widowed mother. But presentiment
took possession of me at that very moment
that | was to be killed or at least badly
wounded in the next battle.
How it haunted me night and day asleep
or awake. Do what could it was impossible
for me to shake it off. / placed my money,
wrapped in a note, giving my mothers name
and address, in my watch-fOb pocket pinned
it tightly and wrote in my Testament, which
had been presented to me by my grandmother
before leaving home, what | wished done in
case was killed
| told my commanding officer, Lieut.
Norris, how | felt and what had done, and
requested him to lcol out as far as he was
able and see that when / fell money and
Testament were sent home to my parents
[ was the butt and target for jokes, and
my comrades good naturally guyei me and
t.;oI n chpnr in vartieuIar
John Herbert, my bunk innate, tried to divert
my mind, and seemed to enjoy the fun at my
expense.
I'VE crossed the Rappahannoek River, and
on April 80 had a skirmish with the Con
federates, which WAS very exciting, and the
presentiment still clung to me after it was
over with more force than ever.
Our brigade was composed of the 29th,
109th, 111th, 12lth, and 125th Pa, and was
placed on the right of plank road, directly in
front of the Charlottesville House, where
we built breastworks using our bayonets,
tin cups, hands, etc, to throw up the dirt.
May / opened with beautiful sunrise.
Shortly afterwari we were formed in line-of-
battle with the Third Brigade on our left,
and advanced through thicket for mile or
more, and in front of our works. We came
ont to an open field, and received brisk fire
from a battery Of the enemy posted i'll wood.
While standing in line-of-battle waiting
(hour5, it seemed to me-, to describe my
feelings would be impossible.
Gen. Kane was our brigade commander,
and when the division fell back we covered
Is withdrawal, the enemy pressing rs closely,
and pouring into us volley5 of bullets, shot,
and shell. We regained our line of works,
but shortly were ordered to advance as
skirmisher5 and feel the enemy. We did go,
under command of our noble Colonel, who
handled us so skillfully that he made the
C0nfederates think our entire llne-of-battle
was attacking, and they brought up heavy
line of infantry and artillery TO drive US
back
We were supported by the rest Of the bri-
gade, and made a spirited fight. All through
this | escaped being hurt, but the PRESENT.
mentor whatever you call it-never left
me moment. We again retired to our
works, which we strengthened during the
night of the I'd and morning of the Sd |
don't think / slept an hour the whole night
What was going to happen | could not tell,
but I knew something soon must, as my
nerves were strung up to the highest pitch.
the men of the Eleventh Corps, that Jack
son dispersed on Saturday afternoon, kept
coming into our lines all night and our boys
poked fun at them, telling them that they
would fight Unit Sigel " and run like the
devil init Howard We could hear them
coming through the woods, with their tin
cups and kettles rafting like old COW bells
We hal lots of excitement that night, and
you would have thought it would have driven
my apprehension away, but it took deeper
root, nevertheless. Now, | can't call it fear,
because was not frightened . did my duty
in all that was required, and cheerfully, and
with as much thought as before the pre-
sentiment came over me.
May 3 dawned with another bright sun,
and about O'Clock, while laying in the
trenches, we were exposed to terrible raking
and enlilading fire of the enemy's artillery.
At tie same time his infantry made attacks
on our front and flank. Solid shot and shell
literally scooped our line, and the sharp
shooters had perfect range and used it with
telling effect.
Our Colonel stood long while with
my company, and encouraged the men by
directing them where to fire, and praising
Them when the enemy were repulsed, after
making charge upon our works.
The Colonel had been shot at several times
by man in tree some three hundred yards
off, and his bullets came so close that l VEN
tured to remark, Colonel, they are trying
to get YOU" and he answered. Yes, my
boy, / know they are; / think I'll change
my position" He walked down the line |
toward the left of the regiment, and had just |
turned to face the works when he was struck |
by bullet in the breast, and he died in q |
few moments
Gen. Geary, in his official report, speaking
Of Col. Shamrock, says: he fell while gal |
antly encouraging his men; that he was a
brave and accomplished officer and that his
less was very much to be regretted Our
regiment knew afterwards how very much
Another officer speaking of him, says: "a
Drawer soldier never lived, truer patriot
never breathed, and had he lived until ex-
Derience developed his natural ability, there
would have been few, if any, more skilled
officers in the army"
/ had been lying down, firing, but got up
when the Colonel walked away; then / saw
lim fall; and, white my own "hoodoo," or
still was uppermost in my
mind, | really got so angry that / almost
,ried, and such loading and firing for the
next 10 minutes you never saw or heard in
your life Our whole regiment seemed to
De imbued with the same idea-to avenge
he death of him we all loved.
| had my right foot resting on the scoOped-
Up earth, called breastworks and was about
o handle cartridge, when the Confederates.
Who had pushed through our line on the
light, commenced firing to sweep our works
\ bullet hit me in the left hip, Just missing
Nv col nd bod nI |