The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1913-04-18

Soldiers Who ForesaW Their Fate
. on the Eve Of Battle.
KNEW THEIR TIME HAD COME.

" wa N0e Wero pancys 0ut 0rtsn pro-
monition, That Moved These Men 70
Read Their Own Dsath Warrants-A
Case Of Red Tape and a Bullet.
Premonitions get little attention, and
those who have them little sympathy
In these days. During tho war, how
ever. a premonition came to be looked
upon as q most unwelcome guest. In
the company I went out with there
were two Garfield brothers. The young
er, a quiet, modest fellow who spent
his leisure time writing letters and
reading, never Joined in camp u
ments. told a few of his more intimate
friends while the regiment was In
camp opposite Fredericksburg, Va, in
1862, that he would be wounded In
the first battle he went into and die
from the effects of 1t. The boys laugh
ed at him and tried to cheer him up.
but is was of no use, he never changed
his mind. Aug. %, 1852, was the lrst
battle of the regiment. Young Gar
field was as brave as the bravest at
Gainesville.
"This is my first and last fight, boys.
and l shall do my duty" Is what he
said when the regiment plunged into
that battle, in which the Iron brigade
Of four regiments and two regiments
of Doubleday's brigade, the Fifty-sixth
Pennsylvania and the Seventy-sixth
New York, net "Stonewall" Jackson's
sixteen regiments and held them In
ohnolr fAr pOvrp hnr1ro our hrfno6n o1nnn
losing 800 Of its $500 men.
I'm hit; goodby, boys" said Gar
field. as he fell out and went to the
zeal.
yours Is a flesh wound in the calf
of the leg and In a few days will be
all right" said the surgeon to Garfield.
Tell my parents I did not shirk my
duty" pleaded the poor boy.
And he lay there without a word Of
complaint and died.
Near him was "Kicker'' Finch Of the
same company with a shattered knee,
a much worse wound than Garfeld's.
Finch demanded attention. he forced
the nurses to keep his wound bathed In
cold water, and II they were at all neg
lectful he swore at them. Finch lived
to kick about poor bareback and salt
junk cut from dead horses, but Garfield
Is sleeping in the Bull Run cemetery.
Frank King was a rollicking young
fellow in the same company, generous,
brave and popular, a singer who always
drew an audience. Like a hero he
fought at Gainesville, Second Bull
Run. South Mountain. Antietam, Fred
ericksburg and F1tzhigh Crossing.
Lime, this finishes my fighting" was
what Frank King said to Lime White.
a comrade. just as the Sixth Wisconsin
swung into line for a charge the first
day at 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 a 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 hat he would not be killed
in that battle, though he had escaped
in a dozen other great battles.
Captain Rollin P. Converse. who had
won his way from the ranks and gone
through a 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 a thigh cruelty
torn and death looking him squarely In
the eye.
A Confederate surgeon told Converse
that his leg would lave to come of.
v THAT would not save my life. so let
it Alone" was his quiet reply. But the
e surgeon began to arrange for an ampu-
4 tation.
e LET that leg alone" said Converse.
@ The surgeon paid no attention to the
s wounded captain until Converse had
taken out his revolver and pointed it at
d him. There was no am%putation, and
the next day they buried Converse with
both legs.
Lieutenant John Timmons of Com
pany c was entitled to muster out July
IL. 1864. his three years having ended.
b but red tape interviewed and delayed
If the order. Days and weeks passed
T without the word which would take
0. him out of the service. On the night OF
% Aug. 16, 1864, an order came for the
:" regiment to march. A march then, In
n front of Petersburg. meant a battle.
''This is tough" said Tfmmons. u
ought to nave been mustered out and
gone home a month ago. In a day OF
a two we shall have a fight. and l shall
ar 60 to my long home-be killed"
{. The first of the Weldon railroad bat
"a ties, Aug. Is. John Timmons was killet
died Of red tape and a bullet-Chi
cage Record-Herald.
m His Conscience.
.xNA - Aa'c , vo,u Ann oIdoPnnon