Oxford Democrat., 1913-03-04
DEATH WARNINGS.
Soldiers Who ForesaW Their Fate
on the Eve of Battle.
KNEW THEIR TIME HAD COME.

Il Was Not Mere Fancy, but Grim Pre-.
nonition, That Moved These Men to
Read Their Own Death Warrants-A
Case of Red Tape and Bullet.
Premonitions get little attention, and
those who have them little sympathy
In these days. During the war, how
ever, q premonition came to be looked
upon as u most unwelcome guest. In
the company went out with there
were two Garfield brothers. The young
er. Il quiet, modest fellow who spent
his leisure time writing letters and
reading. never Joined In camp amuse-
ments, told few Of his more intimate
friends while the regiment was in
camp opposite Fredericksburg, W., in
1869. that he would be wounded In
the first battle he went into and die
from the effects of it. The boys laugh
ed Mt him and tried to cheer him up.
but is was of no use, he never changed
his mind. Aug. 2S, 1862. was the first
battle of the regiment. Young Car
field was as brave as the bravest III
Gainesville.
This is my first and last fight. boys,
and | shall do my duty" Is what he
said when the regiment plunged into
,hat battle. in which tie Iron brigade
of four regiments and two regiments
of Doubleday's brigade, the Fifty.sixth
PENNSYLVANIA and the Seventy-siXth
New York. met "Stonewall" Jacks0n's
sixteen regiments and held them In
check for four hours, our brigade alone
losing 500 of its $500 men.
I'm hit: goodby, boys" said Gar
field, as he fell out and went to the
rear.
yours is a flesh wound in the calf
of the leg and in few days will be
all right" said the surgeon to Garfield.
"Tell NY p.:cnts | did not shirk my
duty" pleaded the poor boy.
And lie lay there without n word OF
complaint and died.
Near him WIS Kicker" Finch of the
same company with shattered knee.
a much worse wound than Garheld's
Finch demanded attention. He forced
the nurses to keep his wound bathed In
cold water. and If they were at all neg
lectful he swure ut them. Finch lived
to kick about poor hardtack and salt
Junk cut from dead horses, but Garfield
is sleeping In the Bull Run cemetery.
Frank King was rOllicking young
fellow in the same company. generous.
brave and popular, singer who always
drew an audience. Like hero he
fought at Gainesville, Second Bull
Run, South Mountain. Antietam, Fred
ericksbur: and Fitzhigh Crossing.
slime, this finishes my fighting" was
what Frank King said to Lime White.
4 comrade, Just as the Sixth Wisconsin
swung into line for charge the drst
day ut Gettysburg.
KILLED in battle" Is what the orderly
entered after Franks name that night.
Have all the fun with me you de-
sire, gentlemen; it is your last chance"
WAS what Major Phil Plummer Of the
Sixth Wisconsin said to company OF
officers who were chatting him about
being so very sober the day before
Grant moved into the Wilderness IN
1864. Forty-eight hours later they roll
ed his blanket about him and buried
him where he fell. Nothing could con-
vince him that he would not be killed
in that battle, though he had escaped
in dozen other great battles.
Captain Rollin P. Converse. who had
won his way from the ranks and gone
through n score Of great battles, went
into the first days fight Of the Wilder
ness, May 5, 1864, confident that he
would do his last fighting that day. He
never fought more bravely. They left
him on the field with thigh cruelty
torn and death looking him squarely IN
the eye.
A Confederate surgeon told Converse
that his leg would have to come of.
"That would not save my life, so let
it alone" was his quiet reply. But the
surgeon began to arrange for an ampu-
tatiOn.
"Let that leg Alone" said Converse.
The surgeon paid no attention to the
wounded captain until Converse had
taken out his revolver and pointed 1t at
him. There was no amputation, and
the next day they buried Converse with
both legs.
Lieutenant John Timmons Of Com
pany G was entitled to muster out July
16, 1864. his three years having ended,
but red tape intervened and delayed
the order. Days and weeks passed
without the word which would take
him out Of the service. On the night Of
Aug. 16, 1864, an order came for the
regiment to march. A march then, in
front Of Petersburg, meant battle.
"This is tough" said Timmons. Il
ought to have been mustered out and
gone home n month ago. In a day or
two we shall have fight, and shall
20 to my long home-be killed"
The first Of the Weldon railroad bat
ties. Aug. IS. John Timmons was killed
died Of red tape and bullet.-Chi-
rago Record Herald.