Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-07-12


lection OF a sea of faces, a pandemo-
mum Of noise and confusion, ajolting
and pushing forward through the
crowd, au,l mt layt we out cnme into a
safer and Gulelcr portion Of the town.
Butthe boy was gone.
How 1t happened none Of MS could
tell, but u must have been that my
youngest SISTER, who had been spc.
cially IN Charge Of him when we loft
the house, had released his hand 1T
some time or other whilst We were
making our way through the crowd
and the confusion, aud the surging
mass hHd swept him away from us.
The shock of il all nearly killed me,
and many weeks elapsed before /
could muster strength enough 10 get
out Of doors. In all this time not one
word Of Harry was heard, and We
gave up the hope of eyer seeing him
again. Finally | grew strong enough
10 return TO duty, and in the excite
mCnt 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 OH
one occasion | had charge Of a part Of
a skirmish line. We held our position
in a young pine thicket, but as we were
about TO be thanked and subjected 10
an eniilading fire, | asked my men TO
fall back OH the main line of works.
AS we were in the act of executing
this movement, a Mimic ball pierced
my leg and | fell helpless on the field.
l suffered a great deal OF pain as | 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 a single dropl
At last ! managed to crawl towards
a deep ravine, some hundreds of yards
distant from the spot where | had fall
len, hoping 10 find there what | want
ed. | reached it only 10 be disap
pointed. for not a drop was there.
Another wounded had crawled to the
anne spot. led there by the same hope,
and we exchanged regrets over our
failure.
"Oh, if my boy only knew | 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 muchi" said
he, anxiously.
SIN afraid so, my son. How did
you find me outl'
THE men told me you were wound.
ed and down this way somewhere,
and so | came hunting you as quick
as | could"
God bless you, lad. But give the
captain there some water, quick; he is
nearly dead for it, as well as myself"
Isn't that Harry Sintonf" said l, in
establishment, as the boy turned to-
ward me TO assuage my thirst. Al
though my appearance had changed
greatly for the better, and | was 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.
II 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 | wrote to you, sir, in.
forming you that ! had found Harry,
and thanking you for your kindness
10 him, but / never received any re-
ply" said Mr.. Sinton, as he concluded
his narrative of the boys recovery.
II need hardly tell you, sir, that /
would have answered ii had | received
it. But we need not wonder much at
its n~on-receipt, for we soldiers know
to our sorrow that the mails 60 badly
astray these days"
A few moments later we were found
by the ambulance corps and borne 10
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 diving, TO
administer relief TO them in their an
guish. He was well known along the
lines. and the men called him 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 a day or two
| could hobble about very well on
crutches. But poor Sinton gradually
sank, and n glowing evening
stood by him rs he passed through the
death agony.
When he knew that the end wa,
coming, he called me to his side and
begged me 10 take the boy, and SC
Harry once again became my charge
| treated him as a son, and he never
~disobcyed me except in ono thing, and
that was in regard TO exposing him
self TO danger. He would not remain
in the real for any consideration
when lighting was going on. Ever
the terrible day of the Crater die
not dismay him. And after thai
glorious charge of Mahone's, who
should ] see but Harry with his can.
teens slung around him taking water
TO the wounded.