The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-28
A LUCKY DOG.
How "WorthIeSs Cur" Distinguished Himself
and Helped TO Break the Backbone Of the Rebel


How a SWorthIeSs Cur" Distinguished Himself
and Helped TO Break the Backbone Of the Rebel
lion.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Inasmuch as
"d0g F." bids fair to play an important part in our
bin of fare, it is but meat lmete) that | fur
nish a quantum of the necessary TatiOns y; not
that l propose to supply real dog-meat, but
simply to tell the story of the dog that found
the meat that lay in the-but / must not an
ticipate. By the way, allow me to state that
never knowingly ate dog, but presume it to be
equally savory and more digestibe than a GER
tain substance OF uncertain origin, known to
the commissaTy as corned beef" but among
the boys as "salt horse" or picked mule"
And here pause to remark that memory of the
divers wrestlDgs with that toothsome (?) edible
brings to mind the soul-stirring air which ex-
tolls the Unequaled adhesive properties of
Aunt Jemimas Plaster as all comrades know
that the longer that beef ~ was boiled the
tougher it became, and the more we tried to
separate the meat from the bone " the more 1T
stuck the faster" But Oh, get out and tell US
of the dog" imagine some comrades are say
ing. Steady, men l Will in due time call in
the skirmishers and . let slip" not the dogs
of war but common cur" of the meaGcst
kind, for cur dog was Of the genus mongrel,
with no Well-defined pedigree. His color was
that Of the inevitable "yaller dawg" we see
following in the wake of those who " 90 West"
to grow up with the country; was not fine look
/ ing enough TO iniure him; was not a general
faYorite of all who knew him had no owner
] TO boss him around. He did not sport a fancy
name, such as Curly" Sport" or % Frisk,"
as do the famous dogs We read of, but was re-
/ ferred to as that dOgoned yaller dog" How
4 ever, / am not positive that profane explosives
/ were omitted by many when abiding to that
unfavOred canine. He like Josh Billingss
/ goat was faithful in his attachment, and stayed
I with - fhrouuh evil rs we'll oOo1 rpOort
/ No one seemed to care whether he went or
came, and none, perhaps, know what finally
became of him. He performed but one act 20
distinguish himself from those Of his generally
/ worthless class of fellows. Like the lrishman
/ who imagined himself poet, but could not
repeat his poem after having composed 1t, re-
! turned TO his labOrln work" so our dog per-
formed but the one notable feat and then passed
out of notice, and his career of usefulness was
closed
But to the story. During the Winter of
4 1923 an extensive foragng expedition was
sent cut from our station Helena, Ark
/ The 9Th III. Cav. and the aforesaid dog accom-
panied the raid. At one particular plantation
/ a spacious smoke-house was found, but not a
fitch or joint Of bacon was visible. Indca-
tons, however, pointed to the fact that the
contents had been but recently removed, but
as TO where they might be found was the ques-
ton that agitated the minds Of the foragers
Ia the meantime "our dog" was shifting
around seeking what he might devour, and
finally going TO q pile of bricks that were
hacked up" in the yard, he began to smell
and scratch vigorously thereat. A hint is sufii-
Gent to the wise. In a moment the veteran
foragers whipped the side off the brick pile
disclosing fine lot of home-cured bacon, which
was quickly transferred to the wagons, and the
raiders moved on TO pastures new.
Thus it was we were indebted to the keen
scent Of the dog for the discovery, for the men
seemed 70 be at their wits end, and but for the
merest accident that particular section of the
backbone Of the rebellion would have remained
for the time intact.
For the information Of the uninitiated Told
soldiers are already informed Of the meaning o.
the term, / add this foot note. Whenever we
had occasion TO cOniiscate poultry and lift
things found lying around loose generally, Oh
TO appropriate what was considered cOntrabanC
Of war with due respect for our own reputa
tion for truth and yeracity and to the feeling
of our friends at home we termed such acts a.
are not justified by strict rules Of ethics as 81
many blows to the backbone of-the rebellion
JAS G. BENNETT, Orderly Sergeant, Co. +, 5tf
III. Cav, Merom, Ind.