Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-08-10
HUNT FOR HIS MOTHER
Two buffalo Bill" ArtiIIerymen Make
Search for Mrs. Underwood, of e.
dora, Whom They Thought Lived

Two artillerymen connected with the
Buffalo Bill" aggregation. First Sergt.
e. p. Beck and Lead Driver S. A. |
Monroe, of Grimes Battery Second
United States Artillery. walked the city
over Friday in vain search for the
mother of comrade, Asa b. Under
wood, who was killed by their side at Ell
sPozo Hill during the battle of Santiago,
July l. 1898. The men had searched the
city directory thru and We're inquiring
on the street for the residence of Mrs.
DR.. Underwood" when they approached
4 Times-Republican representative, who
was able to give them the information
that the lady sought is resident of Ell
dora. They were deeply disappointed
as they had hoped to meet her, tell her
the circumstances attendant upon her
sons brave death on the field of battle
and present her with memorial chart
of the battery upon which her sons
rame appears. Underwood when he en-
listed at Fort Sheridan had given Mar.
shalltown as his home, which accounts
for their impression that his mother is a
resident here.
1t was graphic story the two men
told of their comrades end. They de-
scribed the valley of the San Juan, with
the mountain ranges on either hand and
the river flowing between. The position
of the battery was midway up the slope
ct the first hill and as the guns came
into action against Spanish battery
$500 yards away Underwood and anoth-
er artilleryman named Helm jokingly
warned each other that he was sure to
get hit. There were thirteen guns In the
Spanish battery and four in the Ameri-
can. AT the third volley shrapnel burst
directly in front Of the gun squad of
which Underwood was member and
totally disorganized the squad, killing
two and wounding five of the men. I'm
| derwood, struck by five balls. and shot
thru the head and body, fell where he
| stood. killed Instantly; Helm, the Joker
of the minute before. struck by seven
turned, walked to the river a dozen
PAGES and saluted the surgeon. Before
| the doctor could complete an examina-
| ton he fell dead.
| Under rain of shell and shrapnel
| from the Spanish battery the dead mems
comrades dug their grave on the slope
| of Ell Pozo Hill and laid them together
in one grave. s. A. Monroe, bunkmatc
| of Underwood, traced their names on
pieces of board with a hot iron, describ-
Ing the location of the bodies and, placed
| the record in the grave with them. At
the head OF the grave the soldiers placed
marker made of the lid of hardtack
box, with the names OF the men burned
into the wood with hot iron. The ex-
/ temporized gravestone and the wooden
1 records We're In their places when the
bodies were removed months after.
4 OF young Underwood Sergt. Beck and
Driver Monroe spoke highly. They said
he was universal favorite in the bat
terry, a brave soldier and true compan-
Ion. The voices of the men trembled and
\ tears shone in their eyes as they paid
1 their tribute to the virtues of their dead
comrade and "bunkie." Their disap-
/ pointment at not having seen Mrs. I'm
derwood showed in every line of their
1 features.
4 Young Underwood and his family are
| well known in Eldora, where his father,
4 DR.. Underwood, was pioneer physi-
can and surgeon OF repute and at one
tine a member Of the legislature Of
Iowa. A son. Harry, still resides in Ell
4 dora, and Mrs. Underwood resides six
miles from that city insthe country. She
has never seen and talked with any OF
4 her sons fellow soldiers, tho she made
a trip to Peoria. Tor that ptTuos unfor-
tunately missing Mr.. Monroe by q few
hours. a z: q, r. /,
Beck and Monroe dfe, typical speci-
mems Of the Afnericsm soldier as he
should be-, and are pleasant, refined and
Il gentlemanly. They hope to be able to
meet Mrs. underuaod before the show
leaves the state. \