The Portland daily press., 1886-09-07
CRAZY DOGS.
Remarkable Effects of the Bombard-
ment of Alexandria.
ATLANTA CONSTITUTIONS

Did you ever hear of the wild dogs of
Atlanta? At one time the country around
here was almost at the mercy of these savage
animals. Horses, elephants and camels can
be made to take an almost human interest in
war, put dogs cannot staud the racket. The
din of battle and the smell of villainous salt
petre breaks them up entirely.
Cur dogs had hard time during the siege.
There were thousands of them in those DAYS
and when the season of short ratiOns feii1n
they were the first to feel it. In many in
stances they were abandoned by their re-
fugeelng owners, and had to forage for
living.
The thunder of the big guns, the unearthly
shrek of the shells, the noise of falling build
ings, the rattle of musketry and the heavy
tread of marching soldiers, struck terror to
the canine contingent. Toward the close of
the siege every dog in the city was half rabid
or in the last stage of nervous proStration.
The Wretched DruteS sought shelter under
houses and in bombproofs. Majestic mastiffs
and surly bulldogs curled their tails between
their legs and yelped mornfully at any un-
usual sound, Hundreds Of the bOlder ones
made frantic break over the breastworks
and bitches, and made their way through the
lines of both armies, never stopping until
they reached the woods.
it was even worse after Sherman's army
| entered the place. The citizens were driven
| out in such hurry that they had no time to
| think of their pets, and no means of trans
portation for them. Later, the destruction
| of the city by fire, and the general pande-
| moaium that ensued scattered the few re-
| naming dogs.
These innocent victims of the ravages Of
| war haa "a terrible experience during the rig
orous winter of tS65-'65. Their misery drove
them to strange partnerships, and 1t was
common to see them rowing in bands OF a
dozen or more. The old saying, "Banish the
dog from his kennel and you have a wolf"
was illustrated in this case. In the course
of five or six months the country people for
30 miles around were spinning marvellous
yarns about them wild dogs from Atlanta"
The dog belongs to the genius which pro-
| duces the wolf, the jackal and the fox. Tame
| dogs Of course, lose many Of the characters
| tics of these animals; but when persecution
| andl.misery causes them to relapse into a
wild state they the appearance, the habits
| and tastes of wolves and jackals. Such was
notoriously the fact with the Atlanta dogs.
| They lost every trace of domesticity, They
| grew to enormous size, with savage eyes and
| cruel-looking fangs.
Occasionally gang Of these ferOcious
beasts would swoOp down on farmyard de-
| vouring chickens and pigs, and attacking
men when they stood in their way. 1t took
the liyelies kind Of shooting to drive them
Sd,Ss on, oonieGInes aei.l @ theY would surround a
out. They even made raids into little villages
| forcing the inhabitants to shut themselves
up in their honses. The disappearance Of
many negro In those peril0us times was
/
found with every particle Of flesh gnawed of
ana tne ground around showing evidence OF
desperate struggle.
Early In 1865, when few refugees began
returning to Atlanta, they had to struggle
with these wild dogs for the possession Of
the ruins. Bloody encounters occurred
among the ash heaps and piles Of debris;
Every cellar and hole in the ground held
these ravenous brutes, and they leapes upon
men. women and children without the slight.
est proVocatlon. AT that time it was danger
GUS to ride or drive out into the country. On
the main road between here and Decatur, in
broad daylight, dogs were known to attack
horses attached to buggies, forcing their
drivers 10 open hot fusilade with their re-
volvers.
After, getting this taste of wild life the At
lanta uogs went to the bad altogether
Ihey never reformed. A relentless warfare
was Wased upon them from Stone Mountain
TO henesaW, and one by one they bit ths
dust until they were all wiped out. The
reader at distance must not Jump to the
conclusion that this indiscriminate slaughter
mas caused any unusual scarcity Of dogs il
thlS region: Thanks to the universal human
weakness Tor pets, we are abundantly sup
Piled with beneh-legged fees, terriers, pugs,
NeWIOunulands, maStiffs, and bulls. III some
unexpected calamity should cause them az
TO so wiz, after the fashion of their preds,
cessoIs, they would be an uncommonly tough
crowd to deal with