St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-08-25
J A OK
A DOG


.
Jack enlisted, or rather joined Com
pany ID, -th Infantry, at Mobile, shortly
after the close of the war, and soon be-
came as closely attached to the COM
pany as if he had signed the roll to
serve the country for five years in re-
turn for thirteen dollars month and
one ration" He was young dog then,
and at once became a general favOrite
as well as a subject of much discussion
among the men as to his breed. Some
claimed that he had St. Bernard blood in
him, while others were sure he was part
mastiff, and still others who protested
themselves authorities were just as pos
tive that Jack could trace his ancestry
back to the bloodhound; but these diff
ferences of opinion did not worry Jack,
and he passed the days of his youth in
happy ignorance of the fact that his
ancestry was matter of so much spec
ulatlon.
For some time he took little interest
In military matters, and conceived a
strong though somewhat selfish affec-
ton for the company cook, but as he
grew older and fatter he began to at
tend drills and parades as regularly as
the oldest veteran. When the reveille
sounded in the morning, Jack would
wake out of sound sleep, and amble
lazily out on the parade-ground after
the most approved sleepy-soldier style.
This pleased the men greatly, and they
soon taught him to answer to his name,
which in time was regularly called at
the end of the roll. So also at tattoo,
the last roll-cal1 at night, Jack was all
ways present. No matter where he
might be at the time, Or what doing, as
soon as he heard the drum beat for
tattoo he would dash toward the COM
pany quarters, intent on reaching them
in time to answer to his name. At guard
mount he took his place among the file
closers in the rear, and went through
the maneuvers with as stolid an ex-
preston on his face as the most exact
ing officer could wish, but at dress
parade he used to take his position ON
the right of the post band, and accom-
pany the music most zealously. 1t was,
however, the dinner call, am sorry to
say, that he seemed the most willing to
answer, and a soldier had to be particu-
larly prompt who could reach the mess
room before his four-footed comrade.
When the regiment moved to Vicks-
burg in 1885,. Jack, of course, went with
it; and again, when it was ordered to
Texas, he followed Company D. For
some time after the consolidation Of
this and another regiment Jack seemed
rather uncertain in his mind as to what
company he belonged, or whether he,
like many of his comrades, had not
been mustered out, but he soon came to
the conclusion that he was member of
Company F, and to that he attached
and followed it on it's marches
across the prairies until it had reached
its destination in the West.
There was, regret to say, some DISPOSE |
ton on his part to shirk his duty on the
and when he had concluded that |
be had walked far enough, he would |
limp painfully along on three legs, until |
some tender-hearted man would hand |
his musket to another, and take him up |
IN his arms to see if his foot had not |
been injured, but after having carried |
MIN some distance and not finding any
hing the matter, the man would put |
him down again, when he would trot |
along until he thought he could impose
IN some one else This became1an old
story at last, and no attention was paid |
% Jacks 'tsoiering" by any one except
4 recruit; and here let me say that so
;ure as there was a recruit in the COM
oany on any subsequent march, Jack
would invariably "sojer," and generally
With success.
In their spare moments the men
aught him many tricks, and his natural
brightness enabled him to learn them
Tery quickly. He soon came to know
IN officer from an enlisted man, and
would no more have yentured into their
quarters than would any of his COM
AIDES in the ranks To tell the truth,
lie was not fond of the wearers of
and, like many of his
had an especial antipathy for
he commanding officer. which amused
aot only that dignitary himself, but eY-