ant you to overlook him, and therefore I am going to tell you his
story.

He was a bright-eyed, fair-haired boy of twelve, the only son of his
mother, who was a widow. He used to read at home of how little boys had
gone to the war, how they had been in the great battles, and how great
generals had praised them; and he longed to go to the war too, and to do
something to make himself as famous as the little boy who fought on the
Rappahannock. For a long time his mother was deaf to his
entreaties,--and he would not go without her consent; but at last, when
a friend of his father raised a company of hundred-days men in his
native town, she let him join as a drummer-boy in the regiment.

The first battle he was in was the terrible one in the Wilderness. His
regiment shared in the first day's fight, but he escaped unharmed; and
all that night, though tired and hungry, he went about in the woods
carrying water to the wounded. The next morning he snatched a few hours'
sleep, and that and a good breakfast refreshed him greatly. At ten
o'clock his regiment moved, and it kept moving and fighting all that
day, until the sun went down; but, though a hundred of his comrades had
fallen around him, he remained unhurt.

The shadows were deepening into darkness, and the night was hanging its
lanterns up in the sky, when the weary men threw themselves on the
ground to rest. Overcome with fatigue, he too lay down, and, giving one
thought to his mother at home, and another to his Father in heaven, fell
fast asleep. Suddenly the sharp rattle of musketry and the deafening
roar of cannon sounded along the lines, and five thousand rebels rushed
out upon them. Surprised and panic-stricken, our men broke and fled;
and, roused by the terrible uproar, James--that was his name--sprang to
his feet, but only in time to catch in his arms the captain, who was
falling. He was shot through and through by a minie ball.

James laid him gently on the ground, took his head tenderly in his lap;
and listened to the last words he had to send to his wife and children.
Meanwhile, yelling like demons, the Rebels came on, and passed them.
Then he could have escaped to the woods, but he would not leave his
father's friend when he was dying.

Soon our men rallied, and in turn drove the enemy. Slowly and sullenly
the Rebels fell back to the hill where James and his friend were lying.
There they made a stand, and for half an hour fought desperately, but
were at las