Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-04-12
WAS 1T A PREMoNITIoN7
"reminiscences Of Second Battle of Fair
oaks-Woundlng Of Edward Blssell Of
Brattleboro.

Oaks-Woundlng of Edward Blssell Of
Brattleboro.
Editor of The Phoenix:
l send you this as there are men in
your town who can vouch for it's truth.
In forming for the battle a few re-
cruits were placed in the front rank and
old mon behind them. On nearing the
field a shell burst some distance in front
of the regiment and one of these re-
cruits fell down and doubled up as If he
was wounded. One of the old men stop
ped to see how badly he was hurt, and
it was only the sand had left his giz-
zard. In closing the line it brought Joel
Grout of Newfane in his place. AS we
marched out to take our place in line of
battle Grout was wounded in the foot
which brought the writer up in CIRCUITS
place and took one of the front rank to
the rear rank, that there might be no
break in the line. Then we marched up
and laid down in line that the shot and
shell, which were quite abundant in that
vicinity, might pass over U.S.
After lying down 1 felt as though
was in an ant hill. 1 moved back a
few feet and felt all right so went to
the ranks, but felt still worse. When
Grover, a recruit in the front rank,
asked to change places with me, as he
could not bear to see the shot and shell
sweeping through there, changed
places with him, bringing me beside
Edward Bissel of Brattleboro. AS
started to lie down a shot struck the
ground in front of us, covering Bssell
and myself with mud. Bissell partly
rose up, took off his cap and shook off
the mud, remarking, D you, you
mean me, do you; you'll have to try
again" 1 asked Grover how he felt and
he said he was all right, as he was be-
side his brother.
1 had hardly laid down when Bissell
said, Help me, l am hurt" 1 raised
Bissel to his knees and asked Michael
Sears, now of Greenfield, Mass, to help
me. / saw Sears was hurt, Bissells gun
having been knocked against him. This
was fortunate as another shot passed
that would have struck him had he
arose. l looked at Grover, saw that the
top and back of his head had been shot
off, then called for others to help me.
Help soon came and we placed Bissell in
a blanket and started for the surgeons.
We had gone not more than 10 or IL
rods when another shot struck the blan-
ket, passing just over Bissell's body We
took him to the surgeons without fur
Their mishap.
stand by me-" l went out and ate
what 1 could without any drink (my
supply of drinking water having been
used for the wounded), then went back
and asked how they felt. Grout said
he felt better than before he was
wounded, for he had such a feeling that
he could not march any farther.
Bissell said l might go now. l start
ed back feeling sad, and was about half
way across the swamp on the dixie when
I heard the rebels yelling and saw the
mud flying. l jumped off the dixie as
whole junk shop went by, cutting off
small trees and limbs in its course.
went the rest of the way in the swamp.
When I was in sight of the regiment
my usual feeling returned. l went to
the lieutenant and reported my return,
and he said to get into the ranks as
our men were driven back on both
TANKS and our regiment was then the
| apex of the line Of battle. I went back
and found Comrade Sears recovering
| from the blow of Bissell's musket, then
| watched the "rebs" forming to jump us.
Before they charged we were ordered to
| camped where the mud was three OF
four inches deep and rain falling.
That night I laid down alone. My
bunk mate and tent mate were being
| carried back in pain. I secured what
| rest I could, conscious that I had earn
| ed AZ 2-3ds cents in deprecated cur
rency, about II or ~ cents standard
| money
Why this terrible feeling to everyone
who took that place, except the one who
was killed there. unless 1t was a pre-
monition or warning?
FRANK ROGERS.
Springfield, Mass, April TO-