A Story of a Dreamer

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 31, 1871

A Story of a Dreamer.

REV. L. W. LEWIS, in his “Reminiscences of the War,” now being published in the Texas Christian Advocate, relates the annexed remarkable instance as literally true. The battle referred to was that of Prairie Grove, in North-west Arkansas, fought December 7th, 1862.

“A curious fulfillment of a dream occurred at this battle under my own eye. A man by the name of Joe Williams had told a dream to many of his fellow-soldiers, some of whom had related it to me months previous to the occurrence, which I now relate: “He dreamed that we crossed a river, marched over a mountain, and camped near a church located in a wood, near which a terrible battle ensued; and in a charge, just as we crossed the ravine he was shot in the breast. On the ever-memorable 7th of December, 1862, as we moved at double-quick to take our place in the line of battle, then already hotly engaged, we passed Prairie Grove church, a small frame building, belonging to the Cumberland Presbyterians. I was riding on the flank of the command, and opposite to Williams, as we came in sight of the house. That is the church, colonel, I saw in my dream, said he. I made no reply, and never thought of the matter again until, in the evening, we had broken the enemy’s line, and were in full pursuit, when we came upon a dry ravine in the wood, and Williams said: Just on the other side of the hollow I was shot in my dream, and I will stick my hat under my shirt. Suiting the action to the word, as he ran along he doubled it up and crammed it into his bosom. Scarcely had he adjusted it before a minie-ball knocked him out of the line. Jumping up quickly, he pulled out his hat, waved it over his head, and shouted, ‘I’m all right! The ball had gone through four thicknesses of his hat, raised a black spot, about the size of a man’s hand, just over his heart, and dropped into his shoe.’”