Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-12
MILITARY MAyCOTs.

III the fafety OF our DTaFc 5OIuaer poy
can be assured by ''mascots," thei
friends and relatives need have no fear
for their welfare. Last Sunday, wher
the gallant members of the Fourth Vir
ginia Regiment left for Florida, they
carried a varied assortment OF domestic
animals, which were evidently the pets
OF the camp and valued attaches OF the
military. No trouble or pains were spared
for TIE safe and comfortable Transports
ton OF these dumb creatures. for they
| are regarded as ''mascots," and their
presence is supposed TO bring good luck
Just what qualities are requisite to
! constitute a mascot" we cannot say.
In the famous comic opera which intro
| ducod this word a decade or so ago, some
one of the dramatis personae in giving
its definition, said, "a mascot is-a
mascot" and that is about all tho mean
ing the word has. Subsequent occur
rences In the plot show. by implication.
however, that whatever a mascot" may
be- he, she or 1t, brings good LUCK and
is a fine thing to have in ones possession.
The dictionaries also sanction this de-
finition now.
And so, regardless of the etymology or
real significance sof the word, our SOL
diers decided that It would be folly TO
SO 10 war without mascots, and nearly
every company before leaving Richmond
provided itself with some living creature
to ware off misfortune. Curiously enough,
domestic animals were principally select
ed for this duty. Perhaps our boys have
inherited some of that reverence for
mans dumb friends which was exhibited
by the ancient Egyptians, but bs that
as 1t may, Camp Lee at all times swarm
ed with cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies
to say nothing Of other quadrupeds.
When marching orders came and the
snowy tents were hauled down, these
brute companions were not forgotten
Careful arrangements were made for
their removal. A portable coop was fixed
I'D for the respectable black hen that had
lent her cheerful cucking to the general
din. and movable cage was fashioned
for the litter of kittens whose antics
had made them universally popular. The
pups that were too young and roly-poly
TO walk in the march were carried on
the shoulders of members of the awk-
ward squads, while the bulldogs that
could scufie for themselves were be-
decked with flags and made as con-
spicuous as possible. One mother canine
was led in the procession behind a pri-
vate who carried her offspring, and
the little group attracted general atten- |
ton. There were both humor and pathos
in the panorama that presented itself 10 |
the public on that memorable Sabbath. |
We smiled when we thought of warriors
with kittens and puppies, yet
we shed tears when we realized the |
dangers through which these faithful an |
imals would follow their masters.
From time immemorial-nay, almost |
ever since man has battled with his fell |
have gone forth to battle
with dumb animals as companions and |
pets. The faithful brutes have brighten
ed hundreds Of camps and in some |
measure supplied many campfire with
that home-feeling whose absence is so |
In the celebrated French paint
as sleeping among the drowsy |
hosts that lie stretched out along the |
picket lines. 1t is a great work of art,
and yet without that dog the picture
would be as naught
We can almost feel the benign pres
ence Of this honest brute, as he slumbers
side by side with his master. and, what
is better still, we know that the sleeping
soldier can meet no misfortune that his
friend is not willing to share.
The mascot" fad prevails in almost
every military and naval organization
in our Union. There is hardly COM
pany now in the service that lacks
and even on the gunboats and
warships we find such pets. In many In
stances the soldiers have stopped at rail-
road stations and seized and appro-
pristed such quadrupeds as struck their
fancy. And, in the face of present con-
iitions, we can only smile at such high