The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-07-26

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crowd, and at last we out came into
safer and quieter portion of the town.
But the boy was gone.
How it happened none of us could
tell, but it must have been that my
youngest sister, who had been spe-
cially in charge of him when we left
the house, had released his hand at
some time or other whilst we were
making our way through the crowd
and the confusion, and the surging
mass had swept him away from us.
The shock of il all nearly killed me,
and many weeks elapsed before i
could muster strength enough TO get
out of doors. In all this time not one
word of Harry was heard, and we
gave up the hope of ever seeing him
again. Finally grew strong enough
to return to duty, and in the excite
ment of war scenes and incidents lit
tie Harry Sinton was forgotten.
We were on the lines at Petersburg
towards the close Of the war, and on
one occasion l had charge of q part of
a skirmish line. We held our position
in q young pine thicket, but as we were
about to be hanked and subjected to
an enfilading fire, ! asked my men to
fall back on the main line of works.
AS we were in the act of executing
this movement, Mimic ball pierced
my leg and l fell helpless on the field.
l suffered a great deal of pain as I lay
there, but oh! the pain of the wound
was as nothing in comparison with
my suffering for water How longed
for it, even were it but single drop!
At last managed to crawl towards
a deep ravine, some hundreds of yards
distant from the spot where had fall
len, hoping to find there what l want
ed | reached it only to be disap-
pointed, for not a drop was there.
Another wounded had crawled to the
same spot, led there by the same hope,
and we exchanged regrets over our
failure.
"Oh, if my boy only knew l was
herel we would not have to suffer an
other minute for water" said my com
rade in distress.
The words were scarcely spoken
when a young boy stood before us,
canteen in hand.
Father, are you hurt much2" said
he, anxiously.
'1'm afraid so, my son. How did
you find me out?'
1.-The men told me you were wound
ed and down this way somewhere,
and so l came hunting you as quick
as l could"
God bless you, lad. But give the
captain there some water, quick; he is
nearly dead for it, as we'll as myself"
Isn't that Harry Sinton?" said I, in
establishment, as the boy turned to-
ward me to assuage my thirst. AL
though my appearance had changed
greatly for the better, and Twas no
longer the pale, emaciated creature
that had taken charge of him on the
train, the boy recognized me at once,
and manifested his delight in "a way
that gratified me exceedingly.
1t seemed, from the explanations
that followed, that his father was in
the crowd on the streets during the
night of the fire in Charleston, and
that almost Immediately after he be-
came separated from us, Harry was
borne by the crowd right into Mr.
Sinton's arms.
II had to be away the very next
day, and so l wrote to you, sir, in
forming you that l had found Harry,
and thanking you for your kindness
TO him, but l never received any re-
ply" said Mr. Sinton, as he concluded
his narrative of the boys recovery.
Il need hardly tell you, sir, that l
would have answered it had I received
it. But we need not wonder much at
its non-receipt, for we soldiers know
to our sorrow that the mails go badly
astray these days"
A few moments later we were found
by the ambulance corps and borne to
the rear for surgical treatment. Harry
went with us, and at his earnest re-
quest we were placed near each other,
so that he might be able to wait upon
both of us without difficulty.
/ learned that he had been with his
father continuously since the night of
the great fire in Charleston, and that
in many a battle the brave little fell
low had gone, canteen in hand,
among the wounded and dying, to
administer relief to them in their an
guish. He was well known along the
lines, and the men called him 1.-The
little canteen boy" and this was final
ly abbreviated to Little Canteen."
My wound proved to be more pain
full than serious, and in day or two
I could hobble about very we'll on
crutches. But poor Sinton gradually
sank, and one glowing evening /
stood by him as he passed through the
death agony.
When he knew that the end was
coming, he called me to his side and
begged me to take the boy, and so
Harry once again became my charge.
l treated him as son, and he never
disobeyed me except in one thing, and
that was in regard to exposing him
self to danger. He would not remain
in the rear for any consideration
when fighting was going on. Even
tho terrible day of the "Crater" did
not dismay him. And after that
glorious charge of Mahone's, who
should see but Harry with his can
teens slung around him taking water
to the wounded.
In those last days at Petersburg dis
cipline became greatly relaxed. The
pickets of the two armies grew exceed
n