The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-06-04
BURLINGTON WEEKLY HAWK-EYE


q lady Of Georgetown met bow in til,
street leading dog by string, and tn,
boy was crying bitterly. She asked til,
cause of his crying. He said his mother
had told him to take off the dog and hav,
him killed, as she would have no dos
about the house. He did not want 10 nj
him, he was such a good dog; but he sup
posed he should have to do 20, and though
ne should tie the rope around q stone. anC
throw him into the Potomac. He said ht
would sell him for five cents; the lady tolC
him she wodld give him a quarter. HI
accepted theoffer atOnce, as this would give
him spending money for week. The dol
but had long, shaggy ears, that hung dowr
under his neck. The lady led him home
He was very intelligent, and soon became
great favorite in the family. They named
him ":sailor.'
A Rhede Island battery was near there
and the ladies carried supplies to the sick
soldiers. Sailor used to go with them, and
gunner by the name OF John Barry took
quite liking to the dog, and when he
went on an errand to Georgetown, Sailor
would frequently follow him back to camp;
and finally he concluded a military life
was best suited to him, aud he left the IA
mlly altogether and took up his abode with
John Barry and the battery.
Often when the battery was out practic.
\
from the mouth Of the gun, Sailor has been
seen to jump into the smoke and catch z
mouthful and shake it as though he had
something real in his mouth.
But the battery was ordered to the front
and participated in the second battle OF
Bull Run. Let me digress a moment just
to say that our wounded and dead had to
be removed and buried under . flag Of
truce: this was humiliating, but neverthe-
less true. The field was five miles long,
and perhaps three broad, covered thickly
with wounded and dead. A friend of mine
left my house under the auspices OF
the Christian Commission early on Satur-
day morning for the battlefield, and ar
rived there that evening, and worked night
and day until the next Thursday evening,
carrying of our wounded from this battle
held. There ID no doubt many of our poor
soldiers starved to death others suffering
awfully from thirst. Thursday evening.
just at dark, they came to an old apple tree,
under which five Of our soldiers had drag
ged themselves to protect them some from
the rays Of the sun by day, and the dews
and this would carry only four. They
must leave one of these men under the
tree, alone on this vast field--and which
one should they leave? One Of them had
been wounded in the head by q piece of
shell-it was bad wound; his head was
fy-blown, and maggots could be seen
plainly, and as they thought he could not
live long, they left him there alone uuder
the tree. He was sensible and could talk,
and did not like to be left alone there to
die. have thought if I had been there I
would have brought him off on my back,
If had done it by short stages. But they
could not bring him of, and a rebel officer
rode up to our pickets the next morning
aud told them that he was alive then. and
ia al vnyo Of h
John Barry was on the same battlefield
One of his legs broken, and no one to
give him help. He suffered all but death !;
no one came to his aid. Sailor staid by him
and occasionally did all he could to attract
attention TO Barry, but no one came. He
finally came to the conclusion to send him
off to Georgetown, lover forty miles), as q
bearer Of dispatches. He felt his pockets
over, and found an old yellow envelope
and u piece of pencil. He wrote on it: ~
am wounded and on the battlefield" and
signed his name to it, folded it up about as
large as quarter dollor, put it in one of
Sailors ears and tied his ears under his
neck and told him to go.
Sailor started right off, and the grass did
not grow under his feet and he did not sa-
lutte any dog by the way, but in an incred-
IDLY short time made his appearance at his
old home in Georgetown. The family
were all glad to see him, and, from his
jaded appearance, concluded he needed
something to eat. But sailor would not
eat anything; he was bearer of dispatches,
and he must deliver them hrst.
He did everything but talk to them
know it. He would stand upon his hind
feet put his paws on them and howl, but
they could not understand him. think
1t was the secoud day the girl in the kitch-
en- SAID, Sailor must be killed, he acted so
strange. He weuld run his head against
An~ nssA 10
sultation was held to talk the matter over
aud at this time Sailor rose on his hind
feet and put his fore feet on the shoulder
Of his daughter, and she told her mother
Sailors ears were tied down. She soon
cut the string, and found the note from
John Barry in one Of his ears. They were
astonished. They said that If he brought
They went into the parl0r; Sailor followed,
and watched their proceedings with eager
eyes. They wrote q note on white paper,
telling Barry they would send him aid as
soon as possible, folded it up, put it in Sal
lor's ear, tied the ear down, and told him
to go. But he lay down in the door, the
picture of despair. What was the matter!
try him. They cut the string, took out
the note, and wrote on yellow en-
velope, folded It up neatly and put il in his
ear, tied his ears down again and told him
to go. He did not want to be told the Sec
ond time, but started of Instantly. He
was off over forty miles again, and In .
short time was on this great ttle-feld,
looking for John Barry. He had been de-
layed 80 long in Georgetown that Barry
had been taken from the field and his leg
amputated.
But Sailor was not discouraged at ALL
He started with the greatest energy to lind
Barry. This was difficult matter. and
he was kicked and abused while on his
search. But he kept on patiently, and at
last found him and delivered the letter,
and stayed by him until he was removed
to the city. He is now at teamsters'
camp, and they would not take his weight
in gold for him, as high as the premium IL
now.
The people OF Lovejoy's District, in
Illinois, propose erecting monument to
his memory worthy to commemorate
his character and public services. Ameet-
ing was to be held at Princeton yesterday
to take measures to promote and complete
AkHr La l.