Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1918-11-06
paris.-"wnI the Irish fightT

regiments in France. 1t is record
that makes men of Irish blood hold
their heads high. II is a record that
bcters the brightest page Of Ameri-
cas- most glorious military annals.
These two regiments Zone used to
be the old Ninth Massachusetts and
the other the Fighting Sixty-ninth of
New York; were in every bad scrap
the American army has been in The
tales of their proweSs are just now
filtering back to Paris. They may be
told because the censor ut headquar-
terS has now ruled that regiments may
be named for their part in such fight
ing as preceded that on the River
NeSle.
The Ninth and the SiXty-ninih were
in almost all of it. The story does not
come from official reports. It comes
from the lips of two men, one doc
tor in the Ninth and the other a chap
lain in the Sixty-nnth, who saw what
( they relate. These two have seen
I many soldiers die. They know what
bravery and courage and cheerfulneSS
are.
Lieut.. Simon Kelleher of the Ninth
was in Paris the other day. He tells
the story of his boys. And most of
the time he is either laughing, or tears
involuntarily creep out the corners Of
his eyes and drop unashamed down
his Drowned cheeks.
Lieutenant Kellehers stories show
that the Irish boys of his regiment,
the boys of Boston. South Boston. Rox-
bury. Cambridge and Charlestown,
fought with the cool courage that held
the fire on Bunker Hill until those
Americans of an earlier day saw tho
whites of their eyes" They show thar
these boyS-and most of them We're
mere hOyS-died face to the front. a
grim smile on their lips. fighting doing
their soldiers duty to the last breath
Of ebhing life. Each heartbeat of the
all-too-few left throbbed but to one
purpoSe-to fight No man Of the
Ninth died, says Lieutenant Kellehtr,
without taking toll and more of en-
envy lives with him.
One for Each Shot.
Just now the names of these heroes
may not he mentioned. But Kelly
and Burke and Shea" are there. all o.
them. and many more Lieutenant
kelleher says nothing of his own cul.
lantry. But his stories show that h.
too. served. He was not e He'd on for
the supreme sacrifice. But ne offered
his lffa - thnnsund .
dressing expeditions TO the farthes'
outpostS and beyond.
I'D been told there was n wounded
man in an advanced traverse" H.
says. Il crawled slowly up to get him.
| heard his lahored breathing in the
lullS of the gunfire. And then | round,
ed the corner of the trench. There
ne sat, propped against the wall. Ills
breath came in tearing gasps and w,h
each one the blood gushed from his
chest; for he had been Shot throu n
the lungs. He was a boy l lad
known all my life.
They got you bad, Pack l sail.
as | tried to help him.
They sure did Slime he replied.
But looka there
Il followed the wave of the emmy
pistol he still held in his hand. and
there stretched across the opposite
parapet We're six dead Germans. one
for every shot in his gun. They had
got him only when the gun had enp-
tied. stopped tie bleeding as best
l could and We got him back to an
ambulance. But he died four hours
later | guess his life was well paid
for.
1T was this same sharp raid of the
Germans that produced one of the
coolest bits of desperate courage
ever saw. One of our boys had been
captured by three Germans and he
was being led off as they retreated.
one on either side of him and one
behind. Suddenly one of our shells
lit within few yards of the party.
The three Germans ducked. / thought
at first our boy had. But, no. he had
reached into his hip pocket He
dropped hand grenade directly al
his own feet and those of his captors
and the three Germans were kjlJe,i
Il got there quickly afterward To
where he lay. He smiled up at me,
Yes. he smiled. though his arm and
half his side had been blown off.
God. boy | said, Mortified. why
did you do thatT
Saw me get 'em. did you, Doe? ne
answered.
Yes but l didn't know what 10
say as tried to dress that frightful
wound.
Gave Life to Get Three.
wen, doctor, he said gravely.
I'd been to communion this morning
and l guess I was ready to die. But
wasn't ready TO go to Germany.
They searched me for grenades when
they got me, the three of them. and
they took those out OF my bag and
out of my side pocket. But / always