Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-01-25
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
A FouR-FooTED WARRIOR.
The Brave Dog Who Went with the
brigade Into battle.

Brigade Into Battle.
The deepening danger grew tragical-
ly intense, for there was nothing to be
done except to stay and confront it
At last, to the manifest relief of the
long, long line. the orders were to adj
vance, and as we stepped forward
somewhat blithely. we noticed, moving
directly in front of US, little more
rapidly than ourselves. a small body of
glittering cavalry escorting a group of
gorgeously appointed staff officers We
also noticed that they had a most en-
thusiastic companion. A large dog,
with shaggy, Jet black curly hair and
most musical voice, followed the caval-
cade closely. barking sonorously, as
though he felt his duty TO be akin to
that of bugler. His superb waving tail
moved high in air in rhythmic cadence
with the marching men who were be-
hind him. rather than in time 30 the
gathering hoofs ana chaos of sound
which preceded him. The awful peril
of oQr own situation did not prevent us
FROM wondering how the noble beast
had managed to get there, and what
WO11N NC lis ldbC IL llt IG1Atllfc4- VIC
could not learn. even. whether he be-
longed to any of those who were actors
in the fearful drama before us; but pre-
sumably this was the case, for there
was that in his movements betokening
dog who felt himself TO be at home,
rather than the vsgrant canine who
had run away whittier he had no bust
ness to go.
Still on and on, as the brigade adj
vanced, went the delighted dog, ooca-
sionally raising his head yet higher. as
if for the purpose of throwing his voice
farther, while his ever swaying tail re-
sponded to the cadenced step of the
dear dogs fellovaSountrymen. How he
loved the scenei l have often been
charmed with the delight shown by
dogs when there is dancing or other
frolics going on; their emotional nature
fairly reveling in movement of any
kind. The least sociable dog is always
ready for a run or a romp with the
least congenial companion, and there
is no being to whom the infection of
gayety is so generously contagious.
All through the desolate two hours oc-
cupied by this engagement, the first of
the war, our friend still pursued his de-
lighted tactics-an example of glowing
fearlessness why" exclaimed sol
der, hes better than brass band to
keep our spirits up" We were all
young then, the group surveying that
ecstatic dog, and much nearer to college
and classic phraseology than most of
us have ever been since, and so when
recent graduate cried. ''Wen done,
Claudia Certaminisl" the refrain was
taken up by all who could translate it
and by great many who could not,
and Gaudias Certaminis the dog re-
maind throughout his martial career.
Later on, as one by one the various
regiments were drawn off from field
now deemed impFacticable, we could
see our handsome friend holding his
ground among the very last, until, in
the deepening twilight, he was OBJ
served striding majestieally after his
cavalry escort, as we now called it, on
the way to the rear. All, then that
swaying tail, which an hour before had
moved in joyous unison with the sol
diery, had fallen to disconnected