Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1906-10-03
CHE HERO OF
THE REGIMENT
IOriginal.l

We were marching off to the Spanish
American war, the streets lined with
spectators, the windows full of pretty
girls, waving us enthusiastic adieus.
"We're all heroes going out" l said
TO the man marching on my right. Il
wonder how many of us will return
heroes"
An ugly little dog emerged from be-
tween the legs of man standing on
the curb and came tagging at my heels.
"That cur Is ugly enough to be the
reglmental mascot" l remarked. A
sergeant kicked at the little beast with
the intention of driving him out Of the
ranks, but the dog wouldn't be driven.
and the sergeant, after several un-
military attempts to drive him off, held
his position, and the dog held his. A
lieutenant made a thrust with his
sword, but the brute was agile and
sprang out of the way. By this time
he was noticed by the marching men,
and some of them cried out: Let the
dog alone. He's going to Cuba with
this company"
And so he did When we boarded
the train the dog boarded 1t as well.
"That cur" said one of the men. SIS
bound to make soldier of himself. I'll
bet he's y corporal within month";"
There was laugh at this, and some
one suggested that he might return
colonel. The dog went to Tampa with
us and during our stay there wns form
ally adopted into the company. He
was the smartest dog l ever saw. He
seemed to learn all about soldering as
well as any of us. He never missed
guard mount and came to know the re-
spect we had for the colors perfectly.
He seemed to understand the difference
between the officers and prlvates and
knew many of the bugle calls. At din
ner call he would rush for the mess,
frisking and barking, and any man be-
side whom he took position would feed
him. We decided on Pompon for his
name, and he was soon n favorite not
only with the company he had Joined,
but with the whole regimen.
We were all anxious to see how
Pompon would behave In a fight, and
some of us who were always betting
had bets as to whether he would stand
fire or run away with his tall between
his legs. Las Guasimas was our first
fight, and Pompon, as well as nearly
all Of us, smelled powder for the first
time. If ever dog took fancy to
anything, that dog became infatuated
with fighting. His company recoiled
before the Mauser bullets of the Span
lard, and what did Pompon do but
rally them! He stood before the hesi-
tating men barking. then ran toward
the enemy. The men refusing to fol-
low, he repeated his maneuver again
and again, TIL with one accord they
turned and literally followed the dog
as leader.
Pompon became ambitious to be one
of the color guard and continually
marched with 1t. One day when we
were about to advance through dense
wood he dashed forward. disappeared
among the trees and in n twinkling
was back, barking and jumping up
against the men. At last the colonel
noticed him and took the hint. Halt
ing the regiment, he sent skirmishers
forward. and they had scarcely enter
ed the wood before we heard volley.
But 1t was when we came to the bat
tie In which the storming of San Juan
hill occurred that Pompon gained the
title of hero. He went into the fight
with the colors, and to the colors he
stuck. Finally the color guards were
all shot down-though 1t was claimed
that some of them ran-and the flag
fell. l am sorry to say that the regi-
ment was marching in reverse from
the enemy, and l was following in
what were now the rear files, turning
occasionally to fire.
Presently l was struck dumb with
colors coming. not held aloft by a
stalwart color bearer, but skimmlng
along within few inches of the
ground. Before l could see what was
the motive power the flag passed into
q depression and was lost to sight
For moment | thought 1t must have
been blown by the wind. But there
was uO WI lhtl w lllt was NouOGtlAE,
over the crest of rise came the flag,
and now / saw what was bringing 1t.
pompon had grasped the staff in his
mouth and, raising his head as high
as he could, was making herculean eff
forts to bear what was far too heavy
for him.
The sight of the heroic little dog
-
too much for my instinct of self pres
ervation. l called the attention of the
others to it, We turned and, pushing
forward, supported our color bearer.
The colonel, who saw Pompon do
what he was failing to do himself,
after the fight mentioned the dog In
general orders, and there was not a
man in the regiment who did not wor-
ship the savior of the colors. When
the war was over and we got home the