Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-11-11
A. CHAPTER ON DOGS.
WAR DOGS.

early discovered this faculty oi MS ma
ture. He was probably taught at first
to garrison castles and fortresscs, where,
from his vigilance and bravery, he an
swered all the purposes OF an armed
sentinel; and this mode Of defence is
said by Colonel Hamilton Smith to
have continued till the introduction of
regular armies. From their admira-
bic powerin anticipating surprises they
have been largely employed, especial
ly by the Turks, to guard outposts.-
At the present moment the French vi
dettes in AIgiers are always preceded
by couple Of dogs. Anciently they
were conspicuous in the action itself.
Attes Marius had defeated the Cimbri,
his legions had TO renew a deadier
battle with the women and the dogs.
The Cells deemed their dogs of such
importance in war that they armed
them with collars of pointed iron, with
a breast plate for shield. Some dogs,
ACQUIRED with The latter piece OF de-
fensive armor, and repeling an assault
Of soldierson citadel, from the sub
ject Of a bronze discovered at Hercula-
neum. Certain Gauls not only made
the dog discharge the duty of a soldier
in their war, but a squadron of two
hundred formed the body-guard Of
their king. But it would be endless
to relate the multitude Of occasions il,
which the dog has been employed in
the capacity Of warrior. The in
stance which most nearly concerns
ourselves---for, If Csmerarius is to be
believed, it was initiated by Queen E
)izabeth in Ireland, who sent no less
than six hundred dogs with the army
OF Essex--is the uae that was made of
them against the savages in America.
Columbus set the example in q battle
with the natives of ST. Domingo, when,
with two hundred foot, twenty horse,
and twenty dogs, he routed a prodigi-
Gus army OF Indians. The terrible
wounds inflicted by the dogs upon the
naked savages acreated such q panic
that thenceforward they became part
OF the tactics Of American warfare.
Notwithstanding our Reproduction Of
the Spaniards, hundred blood-hounds
were in 1895 landed in Jamaica under
Englisn auspices, to attack the Ma
rooms. When trial was made of them
BY sham fire, they rushed forward
with the greatest impetuosity, drag
ging along their keepers, who held
them back by ropes, and even turn
ing in their feroeiiy 10 bite the mus
ke.s till they tore pieces from the
stocks Happily, the Maroous hear
ing oi the dogs, surrendered without q
blow, and the barbarity which promis-
% TO be stain upon our name was for
ence the cause Of bloodless victory.
Those who, on that occasion; quoted
the position Of Paley, tina, if the
grounds and end Of war are jus,ifable,
all the means that appeared necessary
10 the end are usti6able also, forget
the limitation made to the doctrine by
the moralist himself, who says the
eombatants are nevertheless bound to
respect those, conventional laws which
the custom Of nations has sanctifed,
and which, while they are mutually
conformed to, mitigate the calamities
OF war without weakening its opera
hous. Withoutthis conclusive reason
ing, 1t is still enough that the instincts
OF humanity are agains, such warfare.
1.-The heart has its argument, as well
as the understanding" is one of the
immortal sayings Of Pascal.
When Pietro della Vale visited
Persia, during the early part of the
seventeenth century, il was the regular
mode OF execution, for certain classes
OF criminals, 10 cast them to dogs kept
expressly for the purpose. He saw
some Jews, accused of magic, brought
within the view Of these terrible de-
stroyers, with a promise Of pardon
II they turned Mahome,ans. At the
sisht OF the dogs, all the Jews, except
one, preferred apostssy 10 death, land
~ tor him." says Della Vale, "whom
l know not whether to call constant
or obstinate in bis foolish opinion, he
was torn 10 pieces aud dsvoured by
the dogs, invoking the name of Moses
with his latest breath. He had Been
happy" he continues, "thus to die If
he had been Christian; but bang, az
he was, Jew, these suterings served
but to anticipate little in this world