The morning times., 1895-07-21
ADBOB, THE COMPANY'S DOG
Sergt. McTaggart Tells How the
Animal Took Part in Battles.
Defied the Enemy and EncouraG Ged the
Men whenthe Fight RaGed-Died
Soldiers Death.

Several police officials and reporters sat
in front OF No station the other night
conversing on various subjects The line
/ OF conversation after a while turned on
: dogs" and Sergt McTaggart, who is
full OF anecdotes and incidents in which
canine sagacity figures, had lis turn at yarn
telling.
1t was in 1889" said he, that our
battery. which was X, Fourth Artillery,
was in the Commanc1e territory during the
! Indian troubles at that time, and though the
guns were not used we had several sharp
battles in the brush in which only carbines
and pistols were used.
1t was during one OF these small
skiunishes that we came across an Indian
buck Close at his heels trotted a small
shaggy dog, which one OF our men seized
upon when the copper-colored owner OF
the animal was captured
The Indian told US that the dog had
been raised for food, dog meat being one
OF the important items Of the ommanche
menu at that time.
when the troop was ordered east again
in 1850 Adbob, as the dog was called by
the redskins, had become an attachment
TO the company and a pet OF the entire
platoon, and, Of course, he went with US.
Though the year before the war our
detachment was shifted about from post
to pillar, but whether We were found
in Virginia or PENNSYLVANIA Adbob was
with us.
when the civil war finally broke out
we came to this city and for nearly year
were encamped and numbered on Capitol
HILL
I'VE were suddenly ordered South in
the latter part of 81 aud took up our
stand in the peninsula. 1t was then that
Adbob disappeared, but when the fierce
fighting broke forth in those parts and
the caunonading and musketry were the
heaviest Adbob put in an appearance again
aud took up his stand near the first gun
The constant roar of the rapid discharges
seemed to please the dog immensely and
every time No. j went off he would run
out into the cloud of dense smoke in
front OF the guns breech and bark
From that fight on Adbob showed no
fear in the battles we were engaged in
and all through the seven days fight in
the Wilderness the little dog was with
us. He was the first animated object
in charge and his sharp, high-pitched
barking could be heard above the deafen-
ing rattle and boom Of large and small
guns.
The very sight of Adbob. with his little
tan curled back or standing vertical. like
a staff, running barking at the head of a
charge, sometimes cavalry and again in
fantry, seemed to inspire the men and
many officers, including Gen Mcclellan,
himself. after a successful charge have
taken Adbob in their arms and pattcd him
on the head.
Two days after the fight in the Wilder
ness, a bearded private in one of the artil-
Iery companies, named Gray, who was one
OF Adbobs best friends, was instantly killed
by musket bah, and the dog stood near
the corpse until 1t was buried. On the same
day in an exciting skirnish with the rear
guard OF the evening the little dog was
among The first skirIniStlers and appeared to
b. as much interested in the fight as any one
involved when one or the foremost men saw
him stop and wag his tail once, and then
without a yelp turn over with his feet erect
When he could be reached il was found
that a small bullet had struck him in the
neck aud had passed into his body.
There was mourning among the troops