The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-11-19
DOG MASCOT THAT LED A FOR
LORN HOPE IN THE
REBELLION
STIRRING INCIDENTS OF WAR
Intelligence and Devotion Recog-
nized by the Enemy-A Bark
Worth More Than BugIe
or Drumbaat.
Cincinnati Enquirer.


'mascots. He went with the Third at
the time when J. E. B. Stuart, On one
side, and Phil Sheridan. on the other
had compelled the world to wonder what
was going to be done. The principal
thing in this story is that regiments,
whether horse or foot had not at that
time learned to depend upon ''mascots,''
and the advent of the Major in the
ranks of the third was unprecedented.
Nobody ever did know where the Mai
Or came from. He appear d one morn
Ing and took up his residence with Com
pany A, whether they liked him or not
Sergt. BradStreet was the tallest man in
the regiment, and the dog naturally took
to him; but it was one of the funniest
things you ever saw. the way that dog
recognized stripes. Before he had been
with Us a month he hadn't a bit of use
for. a non commissioned officer, and he
shook the sergeant before the first battle
We had after that. We christened him
the Major" just because he had the
marks in black stripes on his shoulders,
and then, somehow, he went around from
one company to another until he became
the bette noir Of the whole regiment, for
II one company had him all the other
companies got jealous. They all wanted
that dog, ard they all got him-after-
ward. 1t happened IN this way:
The Third Corps-I think it was the
Third, but my memory isn't good for
such things-was intrenched before
Petersburg, the Sixth was lying off on
the right flank, and the Second or
Fourth am not sure which-was on the
left All that / am sure about is what
our boys had to do, and that was the
scouting and foraging. It sounds easy,
but try it. Well, Old Mae-he was our
captain, and a better officer never lived
called for volunteers one night He
wanted six men; no more. The Johnnies
had battery on a hill less than a mile
from where We were lying and the gem
eraI had given orders that it must be
taken Strategy. ne said, was the only
thing that would count, and he wanted
men who would face hell if they had to
Go It, but who could be thoroughly po-
lite II necessity required; at least that
was what our captain told US
Wei, we didn't exactly know what DO
likeness meant and while we were think
ing it over, with Old Mac facing US, I'm
DloWed if that dog didn't suddenly ap-
pear. walk up to the captain and bow
WOW right in his face.
O.d Mac smiled one o. his grim smiles,
which meant a whole Iot-and yet never
said anything
"All right, boys" he said 81 will ex-
peet six men to report to me from Com
pany A in thirty minutes. I'll lead you
myself Then he rode away
There were seventy-six able-b9dfed men
IN Ihat company at the time and sew
enty-siX reported for duty within thirty
minutes You should have seen Old Mac
lie never cracked a smile. I'D like to
take YOU ALL he said but since YOU
nave all come UP to time I'll take every
tWeltth man, Fall in! Front! Right dress!
Froutr'
Then we counted ore. two, three. AMI
so forth until each twelfth man stenpnd
OUT and so on until six had lined an in
front, ready for the word. but with forI,
leIt out for you must remember that
there Were seVenty-six men there
McNamara was the most puzzled man
You ever saw. He wanted to take all Of
us, but he couldn't 90 it. 1t wasn't in
the orders, and if ever there was a MAJ
une1 ne was one. He stood fer discipline
every time. Whenever he got excited
his bcogue always asserted itself.
Faith, said he, but this is the hap
plest moment aV me loife. I'll lave il to
The dog, Major! Loine up these i. front
Eyes roight. Gath, but that's well done
Tor dog9 Do you volunteer? BE the
rock OF Cashen, I wish you'd look at
mind What do you think av the six
NoiUhteelC from Company A. Maior?'
he dog put his head on one side and
regarded the captain critically, as if he
wanted to take in the full meaning OF
what he said; then he turned deliber-
ately ana inspected us one after another
smiling at the toes of each man: after
that he returned to his former position
dropped on his launches. cooked his head
on the side and again uttered one short
sharp bark
Faith. but we're a square pup," we
heaEd the captain nlutter. Then he dis
missed the rest of the company and or
deTed us to report to him an hour after
oark. minus horses and sabres. but with
our carbines and revoIvers you're net
caValrymen this night, my men" he said
More the pity. You're just a foriora
hope: that's all And by the same token.
there 5 some Of You who won't come
back Then lie waived his hands and
We broke ranks.
Very much to our surprise we found.
when we reported for duty, that there
We're SIX volunteers from each cOmnanv
at that time with the command; in ozI1ar
words, there were just forty-eight Of US.
ali told. and all under the command of
our own cartain. We We're glad OF thai
Where's the dog?" asked old Mac
when everything was ready for the start.
lie was nowhere to be seen. and 50 two
OF us was sent back to our quarters ia
look him up and tie him so that ne
coU q not sneak out after US. But Ma
Jor couldn't be found. and We so reportcd
10 the CAPTAIN
5.ast the b7ast!' he responded. "Tha
pup has SiFen US luck ever since he has
been here, and [ wanted to know his
whereabouts tonight. Fail in now men
and follow me. and if I hear a sound
from any Of You it'll be bad for the one
who makes Il"
Wei. it's 20 use trying to describe the
march The rain was driving down in
sheets and the wind was howifng over ms;
IN such a dreary way that there was not
man there who would not ather have.
heard the roar Of heavy guns, and faced
q
EW2mps where the water was UP to our
waists, climb over fallen tree tops,
hounder through boys and the devil
knows what we didn't have to encounter
before the word was passed back to halt.
l forgot to say that in addition to orr
aims each man had been provided with
SEoTt-hardled hammer and a baSF .
dozen spikes. It Is needless to say whai
they We're for, only that We were expect
cd 20 use them-and we did as Won sba11
see.
Old Mae divided Us INTO squads Of six
and selected one man from each SQUAD
to command it. He left our own boye
where We We're, and led the rest away
through the dark, saying that he woul,7
return and lead US himself. and thar #
the heavens fell we were not to do or
say thing til he came back. And then
there was two hours of the worst wait
ing work ever did. But he came baeI,
after whtie, and in whispers told as
what nc had to DO
In The darl. aud rain and wind We had
succeeded in Ranking the battery on
bith sides, practically surrounding It
having posted The squads from the other
companies intervals OF both arms Of
the place Wncre We We're waiting. For
Himself and Us he had selected the worst
place Of al!-'TAat no called the "foTIorn
hone, and it was that, for we were di-
m +r,a
pected 10 spike, ana there was more
thaE 2 hNldred wards OF claa1. sr.aar, r..