Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-06-03
OLD JACK STANDING OVER THE BODY OF
HIS MASTER.

SsA
OLD JACK STANDING OVER THE BODY OF
HIS MASTER.
Jack standing over the dead body of
his master. Other horses We're gallop-
ing wildly about, but he showed no eX-
citement. Wounded horses approach ed
him to beg for sympathy, but he drove
them away for fear they would injure
the man at his feet.
''Old Jack was with US up and down
the Shenandoah valley, and one night
when a terrific storm stampeded three
hundred of our horses over to the
enemy he alone returned. He raided
and fought throughout that memorable
year of 1864 and was wounded twice
again. He was ready for the last cam
paign, and when the surrender came
the white flags almost brushed his
nose. Only the day before that a piece
of shell had given him severe wound,
but when driven to the rear with hun
dreds of others he literally fought his
way back. A Guartermaster at Wash
ington got hold of him when we re-
turned from AppomattoX, but when we
knew that our old brigade was to go
MtSL VIC Rpl Oltl dth DdCh ol IhC az
tive list again, and he was one of US.
At Leavenworth, when they weeded
out the horses, preparatory to the long
jaunt to the Colorado line, they led Old
Jack away to brand him with &C. and
sell him to the highest bidder at auc-
tion. Company A resolved and petit
toned and argued, and our second
lieutenant bought him before the de-
grading branding iron had touched his
shoulder. We gave him reception
when he returned after his brief abb
sence-the sort of welcome an old
comrade could have counted on.
''Up the Platte, as we got into the In
dian country, dozen men were cut off
from the command one day. 1t was a
race for life. The horse of trooper
fell with broken leg and the lieuten'
ant took the man up behind him. Old
Jack came in bearing double, and an
Indian arrow had grazed his quarter
while making the last half mile. Far
ther west it was old Jack who suddenly
raised an alarm one midnight just in
time to save us from attack. A week
later he was bitten by rattlesnake
The order was to shoot him, as it hac
OGtu III tic CdSc Ol IL SCOIC VI ollitl
horses, but we would not have it so
Providence sent rainstorm to stoI
the march, and we poured whisky
enough down Old Jacks neck to max,
ten men drunk. After three or foul
days he was kicking up his heels as o
yore, and every man in the brigade
wanted a look at him.
lone day between the forks of tn,
Upper Platte Old Jacks rider venturet
too far from camp and was rushed b.
half dozen Indians. He dismounte,
and menaced them over the saddle will
his revolver. The horse stood like
rock. They yelled and shrieled ant
waved blankets and fired their rifles
but they could not stampede him. II
the midst of the excitement he saw tn
relief party while yet mile away an
neighed a shrill recognition and
warning to ride fast. When l tell yo
all these things you will not wonder a
comrade. There We're just fifty-fiv
men of us in company A out on tn
plains. Had we some day been oblige
to accept fifty-fve hard tzclls for ful
days rations no man would have bt
grudged Old Jack "a generous nibble.
II remember when the sad day cam
as if it We're only last week. Two huI
'dred of us were pushing a fresh India
trail, and the hour was noon, when OIL
Jack, going at gallop, put his foe
into n gopher hole and broke forelee
Two hundred men groaned out at sigh
of the poor beast standing on three leg
after recovering from the fall We T.,
allied that his last hour had come. Z
leave him alive behind US would be il
human. There was neither water nc
grass for miles around. The wolve
would pull him down aftera few hou
and he deserved nobler death. An
yet who could have the heart to ki
him?
''Strip off the saddle and shoot him
''That was the order that came bac
from the head of the column, and tha
was the order given by our captain to
sergeant. The saddle was removed
Old Jack must have been in terribl
pain, but he did not utter sigh. X
eyes opened wider than usual, and /
seemed worried and anxious as /
looked around.
"'Captain, can't do it! 1t would |
as bad as shooting down a comrade.'
80 said the sergeant as he stood r
~olver il hand. A second and thii