Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-04-05

Ssl.sSS---sT
OLD JACK STANDING OVER THE BODY or
HIS MASTER.
Jack standing over the dead body of
his master. Other horses were pallop-
ing wildly about, but he showed no ex-
element Wounded horses approached
him TO beg for sympathy, but he drove
them away for fear they would injure
the man IT his feet
'Old Jack was with rs 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. lie raidcd
/ and fought throughout that memorable
i year of 1864 and was wounded twice
again. lie was ready for the last cam
/ paign, and when the surrender came
i The white flags almost brushed his
nose. Only the day before that a piece
IF shell had given him severe wound,
/ but when driven To the rear with hun-
4 reds Of others he literally fought his
way back quartermaster at WASH
ngton got hold Of him when we re-
turned from Appomattoz. but when we
knew that our old brigade was to 60
west we got Old Jack back on the ac-
tive list again, and he was one of rs.
At Leavenworth. when they weeded
nut the horses, preparatory to the long
iaunt to the Colorado line, they led Old
Jack away to brand him with a 'C' and
sell him 70 the highest bidder at auc-
ton. Company A resolved and petit
toned and argued, and our second
lieutenant bought him before the de-
grading branding iron had touched his
houldcr. We gave him a reception
when he returned after his brief abb
sence-the sort of a welcome an old
comradc could have counted on.
"Up the Platte, as we got INTO the In
dian country. a dozen men were cut off
from the command one day. 1t was a
race for life The horse Of n trooper
'ell with a broken leg and the lieuten
ant took the man up behind him. Old
Jack came in bearing double and an
Indian arrow had erazel his quarter
while masking the last half mile. Far
.her west Sc was old Jack who suddenly
.aisel an alarm one midnight just in
time to save us from attack. A week
later he was bitten by q rattlcsnake.
rhe order was t. shoot him, as it had 4
been in the case Of a score Of other
horses. but we would not have il so.
Providence sent a rainstorm TO stop
the march. and we poured whisky
enough down Old Jacks neck to make |
ten men drunk. After three or four
lays he was kicking up his heels as Of /
rorc and every man in the brigade |
wanted a look at him.
.'One day between the forks Of the 1
Upper Platte Old Jacks rider ventured |
too far from camp and was rushed by 1
half dozen Indians lie dismounted 4
ana menaced them over the saddle with 4
his revolver The horse stood like I
rock. They yelled and shrielSed and /
waved blankets and fired their rifles, 1
but thev could not stampede him. In 4
the midst OF the excitement he saw the 4
relief party while yet a mile away and 4
neiqhcd a shrill recognition and a
warning 70 ride fast. When tell you (
an these things Won viii not wonder at
our kindly feeling toward our horse
comrade. There were Just fifty-fve
mon OF us in company a out on the
plains. Had we some day been Obliged
to accept Gfty-dve hard taclss for full
DAVIS rntions no man would have be-
Qrudged Old Jack a generous nibblc.
Il remember when the sad day came
as if it were only last week Two hum
dred Of as were pushing a fresh Indian
trail. and the hour was noon. when Old
lack. going At a gallon, put his foot
into q gopher hole and broke a foreler
Two hundred men croaned ont at sight
Of she poor beast standing on three legs
after recovering from the fall We re-
allied that his last hour had come. To
leave him alive behind us would be in
human. There was neither water nor
grass for miles around. The wolves
would pull him down after few hours
and he deserved a nobler death And
vet who could have the heart to kill
BIN?
...strip off the saddle and shoot himr
THAT was the order that came back
from the head Of the column. and that
,vas the order given by our captain 20 a
sergeant. The saddle was removed.
Old Jack must have been in terrible
main. but he did not utter a sigh His
a~es opencd wider than usual, and he
seemed worried and anxious as he
looked around
captain. can't do it, It would be
a. bad as shooting down q comrade.'
$50 said the sergeant as he stood re- /