Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-06-12
A WAR SLING.
A Maddened Bull Charges a Regi-
ment of Soldiers.


Near New Kent Court House, Virginia,
General De Trobriand's brigade en-
camped in a field in which was an i'll
tempered bull. At first the animal
seemed to pay no attention to what was
going on, but after the arms had been
stacked and the men had scattered in all
directions in search of wood and water,
he began to be excited by the unusual
stir. As he began paving the ground
and believing, the dogs of the regiment
set up chorus of barking and immedi-
atelv started in the direction of the bull.
He charged resolutely upon the first five
or six of them, and the men fastened
from all sides to enjoy the spectacle.
The moment the bull saw that he had
enemies more worthy of his notice, he
fell upon the nearest. The men, who
had no arms except their canteens and
tin cups. took to their heels with all
haste, and their companions, seeing that
the sport was becoming serious, made for
the fence, in the midst of cries and
laughter, the noise of which came nearer
and nearer.
Blinded by rage, worried by the dogs,
the bull in few bounds was at the front
of the regiment The lieutenant colonel
was there at that moment, giving orders,
when twenty voices at once called to
him, "Look out |" He turned his head;
the animal was almost upon him, foam
ing at the mouth, fire in his eyes, with
horns lowered.
With one bound the lieutenant-colonel
jumped to one side, his foot slipped and
hn fnl in
the brute was under such headway that
he could not stop nor even turn before
striking our stacks of arms with his low
cred head. He knocked away two or
three of them, threw himself on the line
of the Sixty-second, overturning every
thing in his passage, and again turned
upon us in the midst of general rout.
On our right was the Seventh Massa-
chusetts. One of their wagons had
stopped near the road, and behind the
wagon was chained fine Newfoundland
dog, the pet of the regiment. The
courageous dog made frantic efforts to
get loose, and general cry went up,
"Unchain the dog Unchain the dogp
The dog was loosed. He bounded
across the road and rushed upon the en-
emy whom no one knew how to fight. A
few men, indeed, had seized their guns,
but they could not use them for fear of
killing some of their comrades. AS to
playing the role of picador with the bay
onet, it was so dangerous that no one
was willing to try it.
When the Newfoundland entered the
lists everything was changed. For a
moment the dog and the bull stopped in
front of each other, while circle of war
riors was formed around them.
Then followed series of maneuvres
for position till all at once the dog made
fcint, turned sharply back, sprang at
the head of the bull, and remained fas-
tened to his cara weight of not less
than sixty or eighty pounds.
The bull first tried to free himself by
tossing the dog into the air. Next he
tried to crush him under his feet. But
the dog saved himself with great address,
and then the bull, mad with pain and
rage, began to run at venture below
ing fearfully and carrying the huge dog
fostened like wise to his ear.
At this instant the commissary sergeant
of the regiment, butcher by trade, came
up. He armed himself with hatchet,
and one vigorous blow upon the backbone
of the bull put an end to the contest
Youths Companion.