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Captured by the Navajos by Charles A. (Charles Albert) Curtis
page 4 of 217 (01%)



CAPTURED BY THE NAVAJOS

I

INTRODUCES THE BOYS


It was late in the fall of the second year of the civil war that I
rejoined my company at Santa Fé, New Mexico, from detached service in
the Army of the Potomac. The boom of the sunrise gun awoke me on the
morning after my arrival, and I hastened to attend reveille roll-call.
As I descended the steps of the officers' quarters the men of the four
companies composing the garrison were forming into line before their
barracks. Details from the guard, which had just fired the gun and
hoisted the national colors, were returning to the guard-house, and
the officers were hastening to their places.

At the conclusion of the ceremony I turned again towards my quarters,
and noticed two handsome boys, evidently aged about fifteen and
thirteen, dressed in a modification of the infantry uniform of the
army, and wearing corporals' chevrons. They stood near the regimental
adjutant, and seemed to be reporting their presence to him.

At breakfast, the adjutant chancing to sit near me, I asked him who
the youthful soldiers were.

"They are the sons of Lieutenant-Colonel Burton, Corporals Frank and
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