TAZEWELL COUNTY, VA - NEWSPAPERS - Clinch Valley News, 16 Jun 1916 Confederate Soldiers "Knew" They Would Be Shot ----¤¤¤---- "Clinch Valley News’ Tazewell, Tazewell Co., Virginia Friday, June 16, 1916 An article written by James William Baker and submitted to the "Clinch Valley News." STRANGE PREMONITIONS Confederate Soldiers "Knew" They Would Be Shot During the winter of 1861, we were in camp at Manassas junction. My bedfellow was JIM WINSTON, and a splendid specimen he was-a lawyer and a University man. He told me that he would be killed, and that he would be shot through the head. In 1862 at "Chantilly" almost in sight of Washington city, he was shot through the head and killed. KIT WATHALL was one of my mess. He also told me that he would be shot through the head and killed. In the Shenandoah Valley in 1864, he was killed in battle, the ball passing through his head. About the first of May, 1864, we were in Orange county, on the Rapidan river. A German, one of my company, came into my tent. He was a great reader, nervous, and high strung. I said to him that in a few days many of us who were there would be wounded in battle, possibly lose a limb or be killed, and under the sod. He answered that he knew he would not be killed. I told him it was something he could not know: that the first cannon ball that came over, so far as he knew, might take his head off. To that he said that if he did not absolutely know that he would not be killed, he would go down that night, cross the river, and never stop until he has reached Holstein, Germany, his native country. I told him he was no prophet, nor son of a prophet, and could not know. He answered that he did know that he would not be killed, that he was going to be wounded, wounded in the leg. Then I told him that I had as much as I could stand, and he better leave. All this he told to the whole company. On the fifth day of May, 1864, the fighting began. Every morning the boys would say, "SCHACHT, is this the day you are going to be wounded in the leg?" He answered, "No, this is not the day." This passed under my eye until the 12th of May. On that day I was shot down and carried away. The boys told me this went on until the 19th of May. On that Morning they again asked, "SCHACT, is this the day you are going to be shot?" He said, "Yes, this is the day." They were then near the road that leads from Fredericksburg to Spottsylvania C. H. (sic). That morning a skirmish was thrown out, but not a Yankee could be found anywhere. Then the boys tooted and they howled, and SCHACHT called their attention to the fact that the day had not yet ended. Late in the day they again marched through the fields and pines. Just before sundown they ran against reinforcements coming to GRANT. A sharp fight resulted, and SCHACHT was shot through the leg. Again, late in the summer, he was shot through the leg. After the war, he lived in Louisa county. I have given you the facts known to many men. Will the fellows who know everything please explain the how, why, the wherefore. J. W. BAKER Lafolette, Tenn., June 12 (1916) [James William Baker,1834-1928 s/o Levi Baker & Emily Yound/Young, J. W. Baker was living in Louisa Co., Virginia when the war started and moved to Tazewell Co., VA after the war. J. W. Baker married Fannie Ellis (Baker) Baker. J. W. Baker served in the CSA in the Wilderness Campaign and in the Battle of Gettysburg and was wounded on two occasions (this CSA data from Fannie Ellis Dickerson, b. 1913-still alive on 28 June 2002, a great granddaughter of J. W. Baker)] ADDED DATA: CSA PENSION FOR JAMES WILLIAM BAKER: Page 2 was most informative- James W. Baker, 86 yrs old (on 19 April 1920), born Louisa Co., VA, lived in Tazewell Co [31?] years, in the 13th VA Infantry, Company D. Col. Tarrill and Capt. J. W. Hibbs in charge. Entered service June 1861 at Harper's Ferry. Paroled at Appomatox Court House. Had not previously applied for pension in VA, but had received a pension for 10-12 years in Tennessee for his Virginia Confederate service. Two comrades during war were H. M. Baker of Louisa Co., VA and Geo. W. Nuckels also of Louisa Co., VA. Suffering from general debility, a broken thigh caused him to use crutches. Page 7 was made Top Sergeant, was wounded and disabled in the Bloody Angle on 12 May 1864. Was in charge of the division ordnance train at the surrender at Appomatox. Page 8 came back from TN on 9 Dec 1919 and expected to stay until the end. Page 9 has a letter he wrote- difficult to read but says he was living in Boissevant in 1920, when war started he was farming in Louisa Co and left his wife and child to enlist. "I am a wreck, old, feable..." Page 14 was paroled on 9 April 1865 Source:http://lvaimage.lib.va.us/CP/html/43052.html MORE ADDED DATA: (For those not familiar with Virginia) CHANTILLY = Located in Fairfax County, Virginia, near what is now the Manassas National Battlefield Park , not far from Washington D. C FREDERICKSBURG = A city in northeast Virginia north of Richmond. In the Battle of Fredericksburg (December 1862). General Robert Edward Lee was defeated by Ambrose Burnside’s Union Forces. MANASSAS = Northeast Virginia, west of Alexandria. The Civil War Battles of Bull Run (called the Battles of Manassas by the CSA) were fought nearby in July 1861 and August 1862. This was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. A Confederate Victory causing the Union troops to retreat back toward Washington. Other Civil War Commanders at this battle: Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell-Union Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard-CSA James Ewell Brown "JEB" Stuart RAPIDAN RIVER = Located in what is now the Shenandoah National Park SHENANDOAH VALLEY = A valley of northern Virginia between the Allegheny Mountains and the Blue Ridge. Drained by the Shenandoah River, about 150 miles long. When I was in high school, in the1950’s, an "Apple Blossom Festival " was held in Winchester, Virginia each year, in the Shenandoah Valley. The area is a breathtakingly beautiful sight. SPOTSYLVANIA (Court House), Spotsylvania is a village in northeast Virginia southwest of Fredericksburg. It was a site of a major but inconclusive Civil War battle (May 8-21, 1864). The commanders of these Civil War encounters were Lt. Gen. Ulysses Simpson Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade [US]; Gen. Robert Edward Lee [CS]. Forces Engaged: 152,000 total (US 100,000; CS 52,000) Estimated Casualties: 30,000 total (US 18,000; CS 12,000) WASHINGTON CITY = This is now know as Washington, D C ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Karen EAGLE Moman arizonaeagle@qwest.net -----------------------------------------------------------------------------