Fighting Dogs?

[bamaman]

I watched Gladiator yesterday and noticed in the opening battle the presence of a large German Shepard who was totally involved in the fight. Medieval armies used dogs in warfare. Canines have had a long history in the US military. How about the ACW? How have they serviced our country?

 

[Sheltowee]

Good question. Have not heard of CW use of guard dogs? But maybe so?

Were dogs used for tracking escaped POWs in CW?

 

[Lampasas Bill]

The Confederates certainly used dogs to track escaped POWs. I don't know if the Federals did.

 

[John Hartwell]

The closest to "fighting dogs" used in the Civil War were the slave-hunting dogs, mostly Cuban bloodhounds, that were also used to track down escaped POWs.

The History of Slave-Hunting Dogs in America | Additional Slavery & People of Color Discussions

An excellent article from the journal "Past & Present" (vol.246, #1, Feb. 2020,pp.69-108) entitled Slave Hounds and Abolition in the Americas, by Tyler D. Parry, and Charlton W. Yingling, is available to read online or as a downloadable pdf. It covers the breeding and spread of slave-catching...

civilwartalk.com

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/inline-pdfs/Yeats%20McDonald_Mans%20Best%20Friend%20Goes%20to%20War.pdf

"Dogs played their part in the Civil War just like the humans did. Dogs looked for food and water for soldiers, they crossed enemy lines to carry information, they worked as prison guards, they were companions and improved soldiers morale, they were even included on monuments, memorials and in pictures."

 

[archieclement]

https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/inline-pdfs/Yeats%20McDonald_Mans%20Best%20Friend%20Goes%20to%20War.pdf

"Dogs played their part in the Civil War just like the humans did. Dogs looked for food and water for soldiers, they crossed enemy lines to carry information, they worked as prison guards, they were companions and improved soldiers morale, they were even included on monuments, memorials and in pictures."

Yes mascots wouldn't been that uncommon. Imagine strays were semi adopted when in camps.

 

[Doc_Ralph]

https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/inline-pdfs/Yeats%20McDonald_Mans%20Best%20Friend%20Goes%20to%20War.pdf

"Dogs played their part in the Civil War just like the humans did. Dogs looked for food and water for soldiers, they crossed enemy lines to carry information, they worked as prison guards, they were companions and improved soldiers morale, they were even included on monuments, memorials and in pictures."

I watched Gladiator yesterday and noticed in the opening battle the presence of a large German Shepard who was totally involved in the fight. Medieval armies used dogs in warfare. Canines have had a long history in the US military. How about the ACW? How have they serviced our country?

My thread from not too long ago…

Equal Time for Dogs | Four Footed Friends

This is equal time for the Gettysburg Cat Museum and as an owner of a GSD/Alsatian female, two boy Golden Retrievers gun dogs, and a junkyard old boy mutt; I want to give the canines a shout out. In our house, there is a dog world upstairs and a four cat (hmm what would you call it?) pampered...

civilwartalk.com

OTC
Spotsy

 

[John Hartwell]

https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/inline-pdfs/Yeats%20McDonald_Mans%20Best%20Friend%20Goes%20to%20War.pdf

"Dogs played their part in the Civil War just like the humans did. Dogs looked for food and water for soldiers, they crossed enemy lines to carry information, they worked as prison guards, they were companions and improved soldiers morale, they were even included on monuments, memorials and in pictures."

We have a whole SubForum with hundreds of threads dedicated to the dogs, horses, mules, bears, alligators and every other kind of creature that, through no choice or fault of their own, became involved in the madness we call the American Civil War. Their stories are both inspiring and tragic.

Four Footed Friends

civilwartalk.com

 

[Doc_Ralph]

I watched Gladiator yesterday and noticed in the opening battle the presence of a large German Shepard who was totally involved in the fight. Medieval armies used dogs in warfare. Canines have had a long history in the US military. How about the ACW? How have they serviced our country?

I have a thread about it…

Not sure if that is historical accurate as the German Shepherd Dog (GSD) breed was developed around 1899. The Romans did have war dogs (mastiffs) from Britain and used them to soften up the enemy. Using the GSD in Gladiator was still very cool.
OTC
Spotsy

 

[GwilymT]

Southern slave patrols often used dogs in their efforts to catch those who chose to self emancipate. In fact, some breeds out of the southern US and the Caribbean were bread for this exact purpose. As to using dogs as a weapon of war, I haven't seen much evidence.

 

[Jantzen64]

Consider the following!

The regiment's beloved mascot, Sallie Ann Jarrett, "a brindle, bull-terrier"[4]> similar to today's American Staffordshire Terrier, traveled everywhere with the unit. "Sallie" was said to have hated three things — Rebels, Democrats, and Women.[5] Her loyalty was undying, for at Gettysburg, after the battle on the First Day was over, Sallie, tired and hungry, ambled out to where her brave comrades had fought and died. She lay down with the dead, until she was found, weak and close to death herself, on July 4, 1863. Her friends nursed her back to health, and she fought with the unit in every battle until she was mortally wounded at Hatcher's Run in February 1865.

11th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[GwilymT]

We have a whole SubForum with hundreds of threads dedicated to the dogs, horses, mules, bears, alligators and every other kind of creature that, through no choice or fault of their own, became involved in the madness we call the American Civil War. Their stories are both inspiring and tragic.

Four Footed Friends

civilwartalk.com

Don't forget camels and eagles.

 

[Doc_Ralph]

Don't forget camels and eagles.

I love camels … riding comfort in style. Were they used in the War?

OTC
Spotsy

 

[John Hartwell]

I love camels … riding comfort in style. Were they used in the War?

OTC
Spotsy

Two of several threads about Douglas:

Confederate Camel | Civil War Games & Miniatures

Douglas was the mascot of Company A , 43rd Mississippi at Vicksburg . Left over from the U.S. military's camel experiment in the Southwest , Douglas was apparently a bit cantankerous and frightened the horses . Sometimes used to carry band instruments , he met his demise from Union gunfire. This...

civilwartalk.com

Douglas the Camel | Four Footed Friends

This write-up is per Wikipedia (so please don't bash me if some fo the facts are incorrect, just wanted to post this very cool photo): Douglas The Camel, or “Old Douglas,” was a domesticated camel used by Company A of the 43rd Mississippi Infantry, part of the Confederate Army during the...

civilwartalk.com

 

[GwilymT]

I love camels … riding comfort in style. Were they used in the War?

OTC
Spotsy

See @John Hartwell 's above post. Douglas the camel is the stuff of legend - as is Wisconsin's Abe the eagle: https://www.army.mil/article/91178/...in_war_eagle_on_101st_airborne_division_patch