The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1904-08-19

light that night as we fell back, and
I remember how white they were.
Will he call Davis-Dean-DOyle The
enemy buried them after Malvern Hill.
Aye, there was a battle to be remem-
bered forever. God! but can see the
picture before me now-the blue wait
ing-the gray coming on-the jaws OF
hell opening wide to close upon 10000
dead men! Yes, I can see 'em again.
the blue in solid lines, and the gray
charging across the meadows and up
to the muzzles of our guns till the
grass turned red, and in very pity we
fired our last volleys over their heads.
And those were our observation-disclosures
Doyle. Comrades, salute YOU"
Haynes = Hemper = Hopson-Hor-
ton" called the sergeant's voice, as
there was an icy rush of the midnight
gale through the old barracks.
eyes, 1 remember remember"
sighed the veteran ''There were
Haynes - Hemper - Hopson Horton.
He did not call Enos, Enright or Earl.
He did not call Forbush or Frayne; I
did not catch the names of Graham or
Gordon. But the sergeant knows-he
remembers. They were dead after
F'redericksburg-al dead. Why, man,
there were dead men there till you
wondered how single man had been
spared to limp back to our lines!"
One = two = three! About = face!
One-two-three! About-face and sa-
lutte! Private Zembler was a soldier
again.
''Lane-Lakins-La Lampton"
"Aye, those old names-those old
comrades!" whispered the veteran.
'But he did not call Isham or Ireland.
He passed over Jordan-Jackson-
Johnson. They fell at Gettysburg-all
died by the same volley. While SOL
diers fought, great nation held it's
breath. A few less men in blue-a
few more in gray, and what of great
republic? Who will he call next?'
There was a minute of waiting, and
the brown earth at the old mans feet
began to whiten with the snowfakes
finding their way through the roof.
"Parker-Perkins-P robasco-Pome-
roy!"
ead-dead-dead!' groaned the
veteran. "He did not call Marble or
Meekins, Needham or Noles, Orion or
Orville. They joked, and laughed, and
sang as we marched down into the
wilderness with Grant, but when the
roll was called after the first grapple
never a man of them answered Pres
ent' 1t is colder again. Attention,
company! Forward-march! Halt!
About-face! Salute!"
The old mans knees were trembling
under him, and his back was seeking
the wall for rest as the sergeant's voice
came to his ears again:
misunderstanding
81 remember remember, and after
| them came Yates and Yost. How
could forget? saw them lying dead
| tersburg. There was no company 'G'
| after the last charge at the Bloody
| Horseshoe. The remnant was wiped
out there. Was Yost the last-the
very last? No, no! There was an
other-I'm sure there was another.
The name was-was-was- God! but
how cold and dark! File right
march! Left! Left! Left! Halt!
About-face! Has he finished the roll
CALI"
'Zembler! Zembler!"
"Zembler? Zembler? Why, yes, of
course Yes, we had man named
Zembler, 1 remember remember
that he was wounded at Fair Oaks,
and again at Fredericksburg, and he
died at-at-"
Zembler-Zembler!"
81 hear you, sergeant remember!
He died at No! God alive, but
/ that's me-that's me! | am Zembler-
| Henry Zembler-the last of company
G. Some one is calling mel must
answer to my name!"
He opened his lips to answer pres
ent," but no sound came. He tried to
raise his right hand in salute, but il
hung a dead weight. He swayed and
tottered as he wrenched himself from
the wall, sank down on the whitened
earth and sobbed:
"Zembler! Henry Zembler!"
But the roll call was finished.