The Benton weekly record., 1880-10-08
= TBRood1aosanaea's Gratitude

There is now living in Eaton County,
this State, says the Detroit Free Press, a
farmer who, rs q Frederal soldier and q
prisoner at Andersonville, was party to
a strange incident during the palmy days
of that terrible prison pen. The prisoners
were allowed to go out III squads, strong
ly guarded, to collect f1rewood. One day
it came to this mans turn to go, and Tor
the first time since his imprisonment he |
caught sight of ssCol. Catchem,' the big
| bloodhound who had run down more es-
Gaming prisoners than all the other dogs
combined. In fact, at that time ne was
| the only hound at the post. He was
monster dog, savage as tiger. and ne had
| in several cases pulled down and killed the
prisoners before the pursuers could come
up. Such were the stories Of his fcroelty,
| whispered inside the srockade; that more
than one tunnel was abandoned just as it
was ready to lead its diggSers under the
posts and to liberty. .=.a =.
The 1Tichigander noticed that the dog
limped painfully on one of his tore-fect,
but gave the matter no special attention
until, after being out for half an hour, he
sat down to rest near one of the guards.
The dog approached the guard as if to ask
some favor, but was repulsed with ;sil oath
and q threatened blow. He then skulked
, around and came near. the prisoner, who
saw that he had an old horseshoe-nail run
! into his foot With a little coa2ifg, he
got the dog near, and finally pulled out
the nail, and the, animal ran away, SEEM
ingly well pleased. 5@s#=5
Twelve days after that, one might about
! midnight, Il tunnel was ready to pass out
,, the few who had secretly dug it. The
| Wolverine went first, and indeed last.
The others remembered the stories OF the
biz bloodhound, and drew back at the last
:, moment, The prisoner was a long time
= getting clear. of the neighborhood, and
weak and starved as he was, he was not
more than two miles from the stoc kaeie
= when dav broke and "Colonel Catehem'
! was Dut on his track hen he heard
the hound coming he looked fora suitable
Il tree TO clirab, but failed to find one
Armed with 3 club, he took his stand, are
: determined to make. a fight for It,. In
;, dog came along the trail with rush
:, stopped short at sight Of the prisoner, ant
= was about to spring when he recognized
~ the man, aud began exhibiting every slgt
of friendship. After a few minutes tn
- Dursuers were heard in the distance. III
= dog at once trotted of in that direction
~ and was shortly baying and leading then
= over fictitious trail.
4 The prisoner pushed ahead Tor halt q
" { hour. and was then rejoined by the dog
who kept either close to his heels or lRs
ahead Of him all day, and lay beside MI
,o lin the woods at night. This position
- - guardian or companion he maintained M
~ til towards night Of the second day, Whe
= |he returned to the stockade. The prlsone
!, Twas then thirty miles away, but the foae
10 were patrolled and the woods scoutee
IA land on the fifth morning he was ree;sl
a|turea. When he was returned the moan
,,o |met and caressed him, and for tins ";
10 whipped by one Of the guards. From III;
: ), hour to the close of the was the dog Voul
4. NOT take the trail of an escaping prlsone
=. He was tried time and again, but
g. would not follow the trail . single 70
= Another bloodhound was proeared, but
!. soon as he took up q trail the other d
. would follow and fight him. During & y
- last three months Of Andersonville N llot
he he prisoner wac run down BY the dogs, /;
r. r. though dozens t,lnnelled out, and MAJ
IT. we're lying in the woods when the come
40 ercy went with Q crash.