Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-11-21
FAITHFUL OLD BUDGE.
The Story of a Dog That Delighted II
Chasing Cannon Balls.

The Story of Dog That Delighted In
Chasing Cannon Balls.
Speaking of dogs" said General Joe
Bertlett few evenings ago to General
McFeely, as he refectively sent the
smoke of his cigar curling up to the cell
ing, do you remember that big three
legged yellow dog called Bulge that fol-
lowed the Army of the Potomac during
the early years of thewar? Well, Bulge
was character, if l may be pardoned the
expression. He was a patriotic dog, too,
for he was one of the first to get to the
front in 1861, with the three-months
men of New York, of which he was a
native. Bulge was terrible fighter.
1 remember when the troops were on the
march to engage in the first battle of
Bull Bun he chewed up every rebel dog
en- route. Every man that wore the
blue was Budge's friend and took 1T up
on himself to see that he had the best
the camp and the country Afforded.
When the fight was well under way on
the plains of Manassas it was fun to
watch Bulge chase the half-spent can
non balls and shells as they rolled
along or plowed up the earth. 1t was
while engaged in this cheerful pastime
that Bulge lost his left fore leg; a can
non ball took it clean off. We, who
took an interest in him, were about that
time too much engaged to look after
wounded men, much less dogs, therefore
Bulge was left on the field, as we sup
posed, to die or fall into the hands of
the enemy.
''Some days subsequent to the battle
when we had all returned to our old
camping-ground, who should come limp
ing in on three legs, his tail wagging
like mad with joy, but old Bulge. Well,
sir, some of the boys who witnessed the
scene just shed tears over the fidelity
and loyalty of that dumb brute. sur
geon of the Twenty-seventh New York
fixed up the stump, and in the course of
time it healed. Bulge was all through
the Peninsula campaign, and during the
advance and retreat he hobbled along,
and during the engagements followed
his favorite pastime, chasing cannon
balls and shells. Nothing could abate
his zeal in that direction. Bulge fol.
lowed the troops back to Washington,
took part in the second battle of Bull
Run, the battle of South Mountain, and
then hobbled along until he reached
Antietam. In the battle of the second
day Bulge chose to take part in the con.
fict on our right, and seemed to enjoy
it. He was very busy that day, and had
got so that he could make good time on
three legs. He had plenty of balls and
shells, l can tell you, to look after, too.
When the fight was over, along in the
afternoon, Bulge was missing. The next
morning, in passing through the terrible
'cornfeld' in search of our dead and
wounded soldiers, some of the boys ran
across the lifeless body of old Bulge.
and by his side was the body of a
wounded member of the brigade who
had been in the habit of feeding him.
Bulge, he said, remained with him whep
he fell, and, when the rebels swept
through the cornfield in one of the num-
erous charges made, Bulge defended
him against what he knew was the as
sault of an enemy, and was shot down,
loyal to the last to the cause, the old
flag, and the Constitution and the
Union, too, if you please, if he was
nothing but dog."-WashingtOn Cor.
n. Y. Tribune.