- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Location
- Central Massachusetts
Watchin' for that Cannon Ball!
“The canine was named 'Budge,' and he followed the Army of the Potomac during the early years of the war. Budge had a habit of chasing cannon balls, and while thus engaged during a battle he lost one of his legs. He was left on the field, the men being too busy to care for him, but some days afterward he limped into camp. A surgeon of the Twenty-seventh New York fixed up the stump, and in the course of time it healed.
“Budge was all through the Peninsula campaign, and during the advance and retreat he hobbled along and during engagements followed his favorite pastime, chasing cannon balls and shells. Nothing could abate his zeal in that direction. Budge followed the troops back to Washington, took part in the second battle of Bull Run, the battle of South Mountain, and then hobbled along until he reached Antietam.
“In the battle of that day Budge chose to take part in the conflict on our right, and seemed to enjoy it. He was very busy that day, and had got so he could make good time on three legs. He had plenty of balls and shells to look after, too. When the fight was over, along in the afternoon, Budge was missing.
“The next morning in passing through the terrible ‘corn field’ in search of the dead and wounded, some of the boys came across the lifeless body of old Budge, and by his side was the body of a wounded member of the brigade who had been in the habit of feeding him. Budge, he said, had remained with him when he fell, and when the rebels swept through the corn field in one of the numerous charges made, Budge defended him against what he knew was the assault of an enemy, and was shot down, loyal to the last to the old flag, the Constitution, and the Union, too, if you please, if he was nothing but a dog.”