The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-05-25
81 SHOT HIM DOWN. )"

81 SHOT HIM DOWN."
IL have been true to my trust Then
he waited for Gerard's verdict It came
with hearty embrace and choking sob:
''Father! Yes,' he added. ''you have
been all that to me!''
A bugle sounded the call to assemble,
and the veteran seized the hands of
Harold and Gerard. my care has been
rewarded and my grief is over said
he. 'This is the happiest hour of my
life when I send you two, a son of
Massachusetts, and a son of Virginia.
side by side to battle for the nation.
Sumter, Five Forks and Appomattoz
will be forgotten while you carry the
flag on new fields Of glory to avenge the
martyrs of the Maine.''
The day was nearly over at Ell Caney.
In front and en- the right and on the
left the Americans found their march
opposed by barbed wire barbados just
where the Mauser fire from distant
trenches swept the ground. Only one
knoll, crowned with cactus copse, offer
ed shelter for advance from the Ameri-
can side. It lay in front of the Second
Massachusetts,, and Gerard Iselin volun-
teered to crawl through the grass cover
ing the interval and cut the wire SO
that the regiment might rush forward
He reached the fence, as he believed
unseen by the Spaniards beyond the
copse, but at the first click of his wire
cutter two Mausers looked out from the
cactus blades, and their muzzles slowly
dropped to the level of his head Then
two successive pistol shots rang GU.
from close behind him. The Mauser,
suddenly dropped from sight, but vol
ley from the copse passed over him.
aimed at some object in the rear In
the confusion he severed the wire of
three spans of fence, then tossed his hat
in the air as a signal agreed upon for
his comrades to advance. He led the
charging line and was the first to cross
the Spanish trenches, but when the vic
tory was won Harold did not appear
His story was soon told. He lay dead
few feet back from the cactus copse,
killed by the yolley which had answered
his deadly pistol shots. The boy had
followed Gerard, for he feared that his
rashness would be fatal, and he wished
to be at hand in his hour of need.
Together John Bement and Gerard
1selin made the long journey in winter
and brought Harold's remains from
Cuba. They were met at the steamers
wharf by committee of Grand Army
men, who had prepared to do public
honor to the dead hero of Ell Caney.
But John Bement said: mo; it is now
as it was in 1865, when you wanted to
honor me as the hero of Five Forks. [
felt then that had only performed my
duty, a dreadful duty, since it made
me take the life Of friend My boy
simply did his duty when he gave his
life for friend.'
When alone again, he said to Gerard:
''The account Of Iselin against Bement
has been honored. The ashes of their
dead shall mingle and the blood of their
living flow in one stream forever
Memorial day, 1899, finds two graves
at the little plot in the vale to decorate
with flowers of red, white and blue,
while above them the father of a dead
soldier and son of dead soldier pledge
with clasped hands undying love for
their country's standard, echoing in
their hearts the sentiment of the Great
Commander, ''Let us have peace!''