Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-06-14
WAR SKETCHES.
SnNg "REMINISCENCES OF A MEMBER on
0ARLIN'S BATTERY.
Gsorys ". McOlslland Tells Story 5b.ut Joe
hooker" a Faithful Canine that Was IN the
Wsr-Brsu Cakes and How the Fire
Was Obtained to Cook Them.
"Joe Hooker"

]
about to write the biography of the once
popular commander of the Army of the
Potomac, the hero of the Battle Above
the Clouds The hero of this sketch was
a dog. Now do not say pish, and turn
away. but read on and see If you will not
think that 'Joe Hooker is worthy OF hay
ing his story told.
Toe was with our battery for over two
wears. Sergeant Connolly having gotten
| him when a mere pup, his eyes hardly
opened. The centre section was out with
scouting force toward Wardensville, and
out there somewhere Joe Connolly got hold
/ of him and brought him back to camp
| Connolly. growing tired OF him, | suppose,
gave him to Jim Mills, private on his mo
f. gun.
Joe developed into large, square breast
ed. rough coated mongrel, cur dog One
which any dog could whip when found by
himself, but let any of the boys be around
TO cheer and urge him on, and he would
fight until he died or whipped the other
dog.
At the battle of Winchester, Joe was
ONLY pup and. of course, was not expected
to show very much sense. 1t is no insult
to his memory to tell that when the shells
would strike the ground he would run to-
ward them and bark and make all possible
fuss, as if some one was playing with hlm.
His master, Jim Mills, was captured at
Winchester. Dick French carried ice out
and on TO Wheeling. On the trip he rode
on the saddle before Dick French, who
shared his ratiOns with the little dog. AT
Wheeling. Dick French or SOMEBODY fur
nished Joe with big brass collar with his
name on il. When Jim Mills returned TO
company from Camp PatrOle, there was no
i'll feeling between the men about the dog.
They both claimed him. Joe recog-
nized Jim as an ancient friend,
but stuck to Dick. don't
know that he thought he belonged 10 either.
am rather Of the opinion that Joe consid-
cred that bOtn men belonged to him. He
elected TO go with DICK.
At the battle Of New Market joe sat on
his hunkers in the rear OF our calson look
ing very serious. l have no doubt he
thought what fools men are. Here his
master. Dick French, was killed and it is
thought the faithful dog staid with his
dead master until they covered Dicks and
Vans faces with the capes Of their respec-
tive overcoats and buried them together in
one shallow grave.
Joe did not reach the battery after the
battle until we had been ut Cedar Creek
three DAYS When be came to US his white
breast was all stained with blood. Was it
Dicks blood. Some of us have always be-
lieved it. No one knows.
| never saw dog so glad TO see anybody
as joe was when he found the battery.
He tried to express his Joy in multitude
of WAYS He rolled on the ground, barked,
howled. and had a wag of the tail for many
members of the company that spoke to
him. | had leased him when he was pup,
and he did not like me very much, but on
that day all the animosity was out OF Joe'S
breast He had a wag of his tail for me.
Indeed, we were as glad TO see Joe. as he
was TO see us.
New Market was Joe s last battle. He
went back to his old master, jim Mills,
but as dearly as he loved Jim and as well
as he liked TO march with the battery on
the first approach of danger Joe would 90
TO the rear If the caissocs halted out OF
range. Joe would stay with them II not
he would 20 back with the baggage wagons.
Joe's second master, Jim Mills, was
killed at Lynchburg. Joe babe him good
bye rs the caisons went TO the rear the
morning of the 18th OF June, 1864. That
was the last time Joe saw him. Before
dark al, that was earthly of Jim Mills was
laid away in the graveyard near the old
Quaker church, a few miles this side of
Lynchburg.
Al Redman, Jim's comrade, then took
charge of Joe, caring for him ienderly on
account Of his dead comrades memory.
While at Clarksburg AL built bunk in
their quarters at the foot of his bunk.
Here Joe slept every night.
After the company was mustered out of
service, Joe would get apparently so lone
some for the battery that he could hardly
contain himself He would 90 out upon the
streets and hunt until he would find some
Of us.
The last time saw Joe was going up
Main street, and Joe came bounding along
looking for somebody. | whistled. Joe
came running to me wagging his tail, just
as glad to see me as if l had never teased
him in all my life. He went home with
me. II was late. between nine and ten p.
m. hunted up something for him to eat.
After that he played around for awhile. l
shut him up in the back yald, intendingt TO
take him home the next morning. When
morning came Joe was non est.