The National tribune., 1889-07-11
DOCK
A Faithful Colored Servant.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: He came to me
one morning near Stamford, KY.
" Does you want boy toiwait on you, Lof-
tenant2n
"What can you dor"
ooh, / kin take care you' hosses cook you
grub and brush you close ;ggive me chance,
boss; try me-" ~, agq
He looked SO ragged and poor that asked
him who he had been working for
I" i was workin' fur q Captin in Ingeana
regiment, an all tho nay got was these old
close. But didn't care about dat 80 much !;
dey saved me from my ole massa."
=" How was thatY"
He took do hoss-whip to me one day, and
Tux me out to de barn aud war gwine ter fog me /;
but | TUX de whip away and logged him. and
when lef' he was huntin' round the place wild
shotgun. went TO the sogers and do Captn
greed to sabe from nassa if done do cookin'."
He thought he had worked long enough to
requite that debt, and now thought he would
like to join the cavalry, Ms he was always fond
of horses. So we made II bargain about wages,
and no took hold. procured him cavalry
uniform, got him horse, and he was happy.
He was the best forager | ever saw. With q
little coffee he could obtain anything in the
way of eatables, and seemed to be on the best
of terms with the slaves wherever we went.
When the weather got cold and fuel was an
object, as soon campground was decided
OH by a marching column, a rush was generally
made for the nearest rail fences, and couple
of rails was considered fair average for one
man to secure for the nights fuel. But Dock
had way of laying his hands on the top and
bottom rail, and as the boys drove out the ones
that fitted in, he would gather up all the rails
| i'm that section of the fence and bring them
| to our quarters in one huge armfnl.
When we got into Winter quarters and no
moro rails were to be had, our boys had to cut
down tho oak trees They would cut up the
tops and leave the butts, because their axes were
not of the best aud because they were too heavy
| to carry. But Dock would keep an eye on them,
and whea he saw u good-szed log left on the
! ground would raise one end until he could
| balance il on his shoulder, then bring IL into
| camp, to the amazcment of the boys no four
| Of whom could handle IT.. On a foraging expo.
| dition, il was very seldom that corn enough 20
20 around could be found Mt any one farm. So
| the first to got in with his bag stood the best
! chance Of getting some. The boys used to tell
me when they came in how Dock would come
| along with his mule, get of in the rear of the
/ crowd sometimes "A hundred or morol all try
! ing To get into the cOrn-biu he would lay his
! hand GU shoulder with power irresistible,
! force the man to one side, and walk up through
1 the crowd with the greatest apparent ease. The
/ boys would grumblc at being handled that way
/ by niger, but his invariable reply was Dev
! got 10 hab corn" And he very seldom had To
go further than the first bin for his corn.
Some of our cavalry operations required n
! good deal OF marching, day after day, until |
was fairly tired out. Too much usud.up to care
| for supper, would dismount when the com
maud halted to camp Tor the night aud lie down
wherever happened to drop, and Immediately
fail asleep. Next morning Dock would call me
with shake. saying: Wake up, Massa Cap
tain; you breakhs' is cooked, you boss is sad
died, you boots is BACKED and tho regiment
is jist ready 10 march, / would rouse up aud
| find had slept on bed.of straw or hay, the
tent had been set up oyer me, and everything
indicated that Dock hdd beerup half the night
caring for me aud the horses
When We got into East Tennessee Dock Eel
| in love with the blacklist aud iIomelest woman
| that ever saw. married her aud settled down
IN Knoxville. In parting, hc took a very afiec
| Tomato leave Of me. " 4 likes you, Captin
and hates to leave yen, but ESQ jist gone OF
dat gal; but III git you another black boy
| Which he did, but he didn't compare will
Dock. None ever did. He was jewel Hi
! like never saw againtE NJ. WATSON, Co. l.
9th Mich. Cav, Mafquette Mich.