The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1893-03-04
REAL DOGS OF WAR.
Four-Footed Soldiers Enlisted in
European Armies.
They Are Trained to Perform Valuable
Service - Employed rs Dispatch
Bearers and In the Hospital
Corps-A Police Sergeant.

Corps-A Police Sergeant.
Tho pages of history from the ear
lest times record with honorable men,
ton the services of dogs as auxiliaries
an war. They were utilized in the
Greek and Roman armies, and Corinth
is said to have been saved by fifty war
5 dogs King Henry VIII. employed
bloodhounds In France. and the Earl
of Sussex had no less than eight hun
drcd of them in Elizabcth's army in Ire
land. St Malo, when it formed sep
arate republic, was guarded by three
hundred dogs. Philip w., in 1702, at
Mount Phillippi and at the fort of
Etoile, fed the dogs which were at the
gates and which remained uncared for
by the Austrians, and afterwards
turned them to useful account as auxil-
larry sentinels and for accompanying
the patrols. In ITS the Turks were
greatly helped by dogs both at the
siege OF, Dubitza and at Gino Berdo.
They used them as Gordon to guard
!. their camps and later to track the un-
: fortunate inhabitants of the countries
they were devastating. There is fine
for killing 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 fine
consists of as much corn as will cover
the dog in that position.
During the siege of Sebastopol the
French on several occasions received
alaHus of sorties through the watchful-
v.~ee a. l<,<~ lE,uafta H. foxca
of the French military dog Moustache
Is renowned. When encamped with
his. regiment before lAlexapdria, the
first night he was the meanAof detect,
ing surprise; he fought at Marengo,
and saved the standard of his regiment
at Austerlitz, for which service be was
decorated on the battlefield by Marshal
Lanncs. He 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 a bullet directly after the siege of
-Badajoz
. Gen. Skobelef, in Asia Minor, had a
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 1855, instructing them on out
post duty. A jaeger battalion has about
twenty dogs of all sizes stationed with
khc 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
brighten the dogs, SO as to impress
them at once with the appearance of
an enemy. A well-trained collie in
German regiment on the approach of
anyone he does not know, will hide in
the nearest ditch and will wait until he
passes, the dog will then continue his
journey only to repeat the process
should he be again interrupted.
1t was maxim with Frederick the
Great that il was pardonable to be de-
fcated, but never to be surprised. When
troops are wearied by long marches,
and sentrics besides being fatigued
have in addition TO struggle against
hunger and severe cold. in such cases
the aid of well-trained military dogs
would be appreciated by any prudent
commander. 1t has been ascertained
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
distinguish friend from foe.
Regarding the breed Of dogs best
adapted for military purposes, it is con-
coded that the farmers sheep dog has
the finest qualities. The retriever
makes 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 it comes to tracking.
In Austria the Dalmatian has been
trained; Russia prefers the Caucasian
dog; Turkey selects the Asiatic sheep
dog, ana italy, like England, is expert
menting with various breeds.
On the wall of the rcading-room of
Bow street police Office, London, hangs
the portrait of a remarkable dog. One
day in August, 1857, an old, starved,
homeless animal took up his quarters
on the steps of seldom-used door con-
nected with the Office. As neither dog
nor man had right to loiter in that
doorway, the superintendent gave or
ders that he should be made to move
on. AS often as hcS was driven off,
however. he reappeared. The men of
the division became at last very much
attached to the dog and adopted him in
the corps, bestowing upon him the
name of Charlie. At q quarter before
six every morning the first day relief
was paraded in the yard of the station,
previous to setting out on duty at six