The Plymouth Historical Museum has acquired a journal of assorted poems, written in 1890, by A. M. Mettetal. In the middle of this journal was a poem titled: Fate of Sergeant E. Mettetal. This recently discovered (Spring, 1998) document contains a great deal of previously unknown information about Emile Mettetal. It is also an excellent example of late-Victorian memorial poetry. Presumably the poem's author, A. M. Mettetal was a close relative of the ill-fated sergeant.
Many thanks to Dan LeBlond and the Plymouth Historical Museum for permission to use this poem on the website. An image the original hand-written poem as well as additional information about Emile can be found by following the link below.
The Fate of Emile Mettetal |
A prisoner lies in the Florence cell With languid thoughts of home Of parents dear, of friends beloved From whom he sought to roam. He heard his country's wild alarms At traitorous hands upraised To rend the banner, that our sires With blood and sufferings raised. |
The patriotic fires that glowed Within his manly breast Roused stern ambitions voice for fame Sought in the fair lands oppressed. Decked in a suit of deepest blue And soldier's knapsack bound He bade his home and friends adieu For deeds of glory crowned. |
At Fredericksburg the rebel hosts Were met in strong attire There many of our brave boys fell Neath Secessions galling fire At Fitz Hugh's landing we will find our bravest boys in blue At Gettysburg they fought, they bled Still to their country true |
On many a battle field they fought On fair Virginia's plains And many of our twenty fourth Were numbered with the slain. At the battle of the Wilderness The fate of one is told The 'dashing sergeant' here was missed Yet dear the prize was sold |
To southern dungeons he's reduced To pine away in grief While friends at home who know his fate Can send him no relief For long - long months he's thus confined With naught his heart to cheer Though far away, are parents dear From whom he longs to hear. |
At length a message from the north Proclaimed the captive free Proclaimed him free to seek the home And friends he longed to see. Alas! poor Emile! tragic fate Which we must call thine own Has taken from thy parents dear A worthy, noble son. |
On board the 'General Lyon' bound To fair Potomac's shore He little thought that he should see His native land no more Yes! there upon the burning deck Me thinks I see him stand With features turned to catch a glimpse Of his dear native land. |
Alas! the billows madly toss Hope dies within his breast Now conscious that he soon must lie Beneath the ocean's crest The angry waves roll o'er the wreck At midnights awful gloom And he's left struggling with the tide Against a frightful doom |
But all in vain, exhausted now He sinks beneath the wave That rolls above that sinking form To shroud the soldier's grave Still do I hear those accents mild Oh father! mother! hear thy child He sinks! he dies! he's gone |
No little mound of earth is left On which to strew my flowers No marble slab by which to kneel Mid Elmwood's shady bowers There's but one solitary rock On Carolina's shore Cape Hatteras on the Atlantic side Mid billows deafening roar. |
Yes! there he sleeps our darling boy Who fought our flag to save But why these tears since now he fills A martyred patriots grave. A father's locks are turning gray A mother's voice is dumb. The sisters smiles have flown away While I bedeck his tomb. |
O! brave defender of our rights Renew affections chain The memory of one blighted flower Can make it strong again O! Emile we can never forget The laurels thou hast won Has made thee follower of our Brave Gallant Washington. |
Permission to use this poem in the 24th Michigan Regimental Website has been graciously granted by Dan LeBlond, xenon@primenet.com and the Plymouth Historical Museum.
Last Updated: 07/02/99
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