The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-01-06
REAL DOGS OF WAR.
Four-Footed Soldiers Enlisted in
European Armies.
They Are Trained to Perform Valuable
Service - Employed as Dispstoh-
Bearers and In the Hospital
Csrps-A Police Sergeant.

The pages of history from the ear
liest times record with honorab bic men
ton the services of dogs as auxiliariss
IN war. They were utilized IN the
Greek and Roman armies, and Corinth
is said to have been saved by fifty war
dogs. King Henry VIII employed
bloodhounds in France, and the Earl
of Sussex had no less than eigh. hun
dred Of them in Elizabcth's army in Ire
land ST. MaIo, when il formed a sep
arase republic, was guarded by three
hundred dogs. Philip ", in 1702, at
1 Mount Ph!llippi and at the fort of
Etole, fed the dogs which were at the
| gates and which remained uncared for
| By the Austrians, and afterwards
turned them to useful account as auxiI-
I iary scntinels and for accompanying
/ the patrols. In ITS the Turks were
greatly helped by dogs both at the
siege of Dubitza and at Gino Berlo.
/ They used them as a Gordon to guard
their camps and later TO track the IN
/ fortunate inhabitants of the countries
they were devastating. There is a fine
for killing a dog in Turkey, and it is
exacted as follows: The dead dog is
tied up by the tail with his fore
paws touching the ground, and the fne
consists of as much corn as will cover
the dog in that position.
During the siege of Sebastopol the
French on several occasions received
alarms of sorties through the watchful-
ness of dog called Minette. The fame
Of the French military dog Moustache
is renowned. When encamped with
his regiment before Alexandra, the
first night he was the means of detect
ing a surprise; he fought at Marengo,
and saved the standard of his regiment
at Austerlitz, for which service he was
decorated on the battlefield by Marshal
Lannes. Hc captured an Austrian ser
geant, and brought two pri-
Yates as prisoners into camp. He
served also in the Spanish cam
paign and was the means of de-
tecting several ambushes. At dress
parades he invariably appeared at the
head of the regiment, conducting him
self with soldierly dignity. He bore
on his body many honorable scars of
hot encounters, and was finally killed
by bullet directly after the siege of
BadajOz-
Gen. Skobeleff, in Asia Minor, had
corps of dogs instructed as sentries, ,
and they are now used in the artillery
and other branches of the service. The
Germans began experimenting with
dogs in 1885, instructIng them on out
post duty. A jaeger battalion has about
twenty dogs of all sizes stationed with
the advance guard. The Germans
dress men in French and Russian uni
forms land the French have recourse to
similar tactics) who lie IN wait and
friEhten the dogs, so as TO impress
them at once with the appearance Of
an enemy. A weIl-trained collie in a
German regiment on the approach of
anyone he does not know, will hide is
the nearest ditch and viii wait until he
passes, the dog will then continue MS
journey only to repeat the process
should he be again Interrupted.
II was a maxim with Frederick the
Great that 1T was pardonabIe TO be de-
feated, but never TO be surprised. When
and sentries besides being fatigucd
have in addition TO struggle against
hunger and severe cold. in such cases
the aid OF well-trained military dogs
would De appreciated by any prudent
commander. II has been sscertained
that on calm night dogs can with GER
taiuty detect the approach OF strangers
up TO five hundred yards, and in stormy
weather they will scent an enemy
within two hundred yards and can
distip guish friend from foe.
Regarding the breed Of dogs best
adapted for military purposes, it is con-
ceded that the farmers sheep dog has
the finest qualities The retriever
makes a good war dog, and spaniels
have much to recommend them In
Germany they are considered second
to the sheep dog. Bloodhounds have
no superior when il comes to tracking.
In Austria the Dalmatian has been
trained; RUSSIA prefers the Caucasian
dog; Turkey selects the Asiatic sheep
dog, and Italy, like England, is experl-
nenting with various breeds.
On the wall OF thc reading-room OF
Bow street police Office, London, hangs
the portrait OF remarkable dog. one
day N August 1857, an old starved,
homeless animal took up his quarters
on the steps of a seldom used door con
nected with the Office. As neither DO.
nor man had a right TO !ois-r IN that
doorway. the superintendent gave or
ders that he should be ma3e to move
on As often as be was driven of.
however, be reappeaTed The men Of
the division became at last very much
attached 10 the dog and adopted him n
the corps, bestowIng upon him the
name of Charlie. At a quarter befos.
six everr morning the frst dST relief
was pzrsdeG r the yard % the station
previous 20 setting out CT duty 81 six
A. ;nai Hou-, ana 81 every parade, daJ
OF night Charlie was always presen.,
marching up and down Il froa. ot ne
line with al the importance q
Griu sergeant Parade Over, Char
lie would head She relief n -
march round the beats and then
went on tuur q iaspeciIon.
~. Hing sa- awhile w-A this n-