Making her way north on horse back along the same route she had taken when on her way to Baler about a year before, she came to the city of San Miguel where one of the hardest battles of the war had been fought. The troops engaged in this fight had become so disorganized that all formation by regiments, companies, etc., had been broken up. Unfortunately, one of the Americans' dead privates could not be identified. He was buried where he fell, and a board tombstone was placed at the head of his grave, on which was carved this lonely word, "UNKNOWN". As Marie passed over the old field, she saw this grave and read the solemn word on its headstone. "Alas!" she muttered, "I wonder if the same sad fate will some day overtake me." The body of this "unknown" soldier was exhumed by the government a few months later and brought back to the United States for burial. Upon its arrival the following pathetic poem appeared in "Leslie's Weekly"; JUST AN "UNKNOWN" After the fight was over, They found him stark and dead, Where all the bamboo thicket Was splashed and stained and red. No name was missed at roll call, Not one among them knew The slender, boyish figure Arrayed in army blue. Among our fallen soldiers They brought him o'er the deep, And with the nation's heroes They laid him down to sleep. A starry flag above him, And on the simple stone That marked his final bivouac, The single word, "Unknown." Perchance a mother watches, Her eyes with weeping dim, Or sweetheart waits the postman In vain for news of him. While snow of winter freezes, And April violets thrust Sweet blossoms through the grasses Above his nameless dust. But when the last great trumpet Shall sound the reveille, And all the blue battalions March up from land and sea, He shall awake to glory-- Who sleeps unknown to fame, And with Columbia's bravest Will answer to his name. Her personal safety demanded that she continue her journey northward, without delay; also her inclination to rejoin Aguinaldo and his troops--although his exact whereabouts were unknown--invited her in this direction.