Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1894-07-12
Pets OF the War.

Next to the horse, the dog is the
best tried of mans dumb comrades
and In war he takes about the same
place relatively that he has at home.
lie appeals to sympathy and gives
sympathy in return, acting almost
humanity where his own interest or
that of his friends is concerned. In
the Virginia campaigns of 1861 and
1862 canine waif named Bulge at
tached himself to the regiment in
which l served, the Twenty-seventh
New York, in the following manner:
AT the first Bull Run he lost his left
foreleg while chasing shells and
cannon-balis as they struck the
earth. He was at the time a
familiar visitor in the camp and
after the troops arrived at Alexandria
he hobbled into the lines and the
stub was amputated and dressed by
our surgeon, Major Norman S. Barnes.
Bulge recovered and returned to his
hdme in another New York camp. In
subsequent marches he kept up his
acquaintance with the men of the
Twenty-seventh and we knew his his
tory to the end. At Antietam, when
the Union line advanced over the corn
field with its acres of dead and
wounded, Bulge was. found, lifeless,
and nesting close to a wounded sol
dier of the brigade the poor dog had
chung to for over a year. The soldier
had often fed Bulge and they were
good friends. They entered the corn
field together and when his chum fell
the dog remained by him. During a
charge of the Confederates Bulge stood
up and showed fight as only dog
could, and receiving mortal
bullet wound ran to the side of his
helpless comrade and died under his
caresses.
Another Yankee dog bore the SOL
dlerly name of Major. He was a true
"Yank" and marched with the Tenth
Maine. Major found battle great
sport, and would chase the large mis-
siles rolling along as though they
were rubber balls or stones. If one
bored its way into the earth he would
dig for it with all his might until an
other one struck near him, then he
would leave the first pit and dig after
the latest conner Major was cap.
tured at Winchester, but his comrades
did not share the misfortune, so he
ran away and got back into the regi-
ment. He was killed at Sabine's
Cross Roads, La, in front of the line
of battle, and his memory is cherished
in the annals of the Tenth Maine
along with that of the heroic men
whose trials he shared.
should state that these dog stories
illustrate, in a way, the doctrine of
the survival of the fittest. (Strictly
no pun intended.) 1 write only of
the successful dog warriors; not of
the failures. For instance, a contra
band lad carried two pups into the
camp of the Forty-eighth New York
at Hilton Head, S. c., in 1862, and sold
them at quarter each. One of them
drank up the first day a can of
condensed milk. then worth in
South Carolina an even 81. He was
sent adrift at once; drummed out of
camp in disgrace, as it were, and his
name does not appear in the war an
mails. The other pup was sensible
fellow. He behaved himself, was
adopted by company d and named
jeff. The name, given perhaps as a
joke,h made honorable by two years
service, and died regimental hero.
He was in numerous battles, and at
Cold Harbor he hunted out and freed
Confederate sharpshooter who from
hidden cover was picking off many of
the Forty-eighth's men. When the
sharpshooter saw that the dogs bark
ing and gestures were likely to be-
tray him and draw fire, he shot poor
jeff dead in self-defense.
OF the Eighth Wisconsin historic
war eagle, "Old Abe" many have
heard stories more or less faithful and
credable, but few, excepting the
veterans who were his companions,
are aware of the Importance of his
services and the sterling soldier
qualities brought into play in their
fulfillment. The war eagle was not a
chance pet taken up as "fad" by the
Wisconsin bovs Althourh the idaa