Newfoundland Dog Between the Lines at Battery 22 Petersburg

lelliott19

Brigadier General
Moderator
* OFFICIAL *
CWT PRESENTER
Forum Host
Silver Patron
Regtl. Staff Chickamauga 2018
Joined
Mar 15, 2013
1588471791883.png

Lion: A Newfoundland Dog, 1824. Edwin Henry (Sir, RA) Landseer, Wikimedia commons.
INCIDENT ON THE LINES --- An amusing incident occurred on the lines in front of Battery No 22, on the afternoon of July 4th [1864]. A large Newfoundland dog was seen to come out from the enemy's line of battle in front of that point, and run up and down in a playful manner between the two hostile lines. Picket firing having ceased by mutual consent, the men on both sides flocked out to witness the spectacle, and as the dog would approach near our lines or return towards the Yankees, he was greeted with loud cheering.

In this manner, the spirits of the Confederates and Yankees were exhilarated to a high degree, and eventually the bands began to perform. The band of our battery struck up "Dixie," and was responded to with "Yankee Doodle" from the Yankee lines. All this time the dog was hunting up and down the lines in full sight. He was whistled to at last by some of our troops, and a large tin canteen appended to his tail. He was then turned loose, amid loud hurrahs and laughter, and sent on his way at 2:40 speed back to the companionship of his Yankee friends, who celebrated his arrival with equal gusto. The incident is said to have afforded a very amusing diversion. ~Petersburg Express
1588470654767.png

The Daily Sun. (Columbus, Ga.), July 13, 1864, page 1.
@JPK Huson 1863 here's a picket story for you - Petersburg July 4, 1864. This picket story includes a dog!
 
That's a great picket story, thanks @lelliott19 !! There'd be a reason we see so many ' dogs in camp ' stories. Therapy in a fur jacket. Just saw another story about a dog shelter that's been emptied of all rescued dogs- our current crisis has caused a dramatic increase in dog adoptions. Cool stuff.

Well, the part about a canteen tied to his tail seems questionable, hoping he chewed it off swiftly!
 
Interesting story. I was sure that soldiers or officers had dogs in their encampments but I was unaware that there was a dog between the lines on July 4th during the siege of Petersburg. Does anybody know how many officers or soldiers kept dogs in the encampments during the war and specific breeds?
I'm not sure about an actual number of dogs, but they were used for different tasks besides companionship. Some dogs were used to hunt and track down chickens, etc., and steal food from passing wagons. Some would even carry messages or newspaper between the lines. Others were used as guard and prison dogs. Andersonville had dogs that would track down and attack escapees.
 
Interesting story. I was sure that soldiers or officers had dogs in their encampments but I was unaware that there was a dog between the lines on July 4th during the siege of Petersburg. Does anybody know how many officers or soldiers kept dogs in the encampments during the war and specific breeds?
I've never seen any statistics, @Grant's Tomb, but many regimental histories and veterans' memoirs mention dogs who accompanied soldiers, either as individual men's pets or as mascots of a company or regiment. Concerning breeds, Newfoundland dogs were popular, and so were terriers of various kinds, and bulldogs. Here and there are spaniels, pointers, setters, greyhounds, and Dalmatians. As popular as hounds have always been as hunting dogs, I would have expected many hounds to have gone to war with their owners, but they haven't figured in many of the accounts or photographs I've seen. Most of the hounds I've found in soldiers' writings were tracking dogs used to catch escaped prisoners.
 
The 'Newfy" has always been a noble dog. One Newfoundland, Seaman, travelled with the Corps of Discovery as Lewis's dog and saved the day (night) when he ran off a large grizzly bear that had invaded the sleeping camp. Although the explorers consumed 200 dogs over the course of their expedition, only Seaman was spared.
1588634487585.png

Monument at the Missouri State Capitol by
Sabra Tull Meyer
(Credit: The Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives)
 
Last edited:
The 'Newfy" has always been a noble dog. One Newfoundland, Seaman, travelled with the Corps of Discovery as Lewis's dog and saved the day (night) when he ran off a large grizzly bear that had invaded the sleeping camp. Although the explorers consumed 200 dogs over the course of their expedition, only Seaman was spared.
View attachment 357446
Monument at the Missouri State Capitol by
Sabra Tull Meyer
(Credit: The Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives)
Lewis purchased Seamen for $20 in Pittsburgh while he was overseeing the construction of the expedition's keelboat to soothe himself due to his frustration that the boat contractor didn't finish it on time because he had a drinking problem. Even with the level of the Ohio River falling, he was able to get to St. Louis in November after stopping in Clarksville to pick up Clark and more men for the journey. It's incredible that Patrick Gass who was promoted to Sergeant after Charles Floyd died in August 1804 almost enlisted to fight in the Civil War at the age of 91 but was removed from a recruiting station. He did serve in the War of 1812 where he lost an eye and also fought in the battle of Lundy's Lane. Died in 1870 at the age of 98, outliving everybody in the Corps of Discovery
 
Last edited:
The 'Newfy" has always been a noble dog. One Newfoundland, Seaman, travelled with the Corps of Discovery as Lewis's dog and saved the day (night) when he ran off a large grizzly bear that had invaded the sleeping camp. Although the explorers consumed 200 dogs over the course of their expedition, only Seaman was spared.
View attachment 357446
Monument at the Missouri State Capitol by
Sabra Tull Meyer
(Credit: The Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives)
Kevin Conway who portrayed the fictional soldier of Buster Kilrain in Gettysburg and Gods and Generals did the voiceover of Patrick Gass for the Ken Burns documentary of the Lewis and Clark expedition as well as the the voiceover of the Ken Burns documentary on Mark Twain
 
A lifetime ago, fifty two years to be exact, I had a memorable encounter with a Newfoundland Retriever. I was on a fishing trip at Saranac Lake which, is located in upstate New York in the Adirondacks, with a Buddy of mine. We rented a canoe and was told that the best fishing was on the other side of the large lake. While we were over on that side a big rain and wind storm developed and we decided to cross back over. The water became very choppy with whitecaps. About 3/4 of a mile from shore the canoe capsized. Since I was a stronger and better swimmer than my friend I had him hang on to the canoe while I would attempt to swim back to the shore where we rented our canoe. After about 15 minutes in the cold water I looked over my shoulder and saw a boat was approaching having come from a small island a ways off. When it finally reached me I began to hoist myself up and with the help of a huge Newfoundland that grabbed onto my shoulder sleeve made it into the boat exhausted and shivering. We then made a beeline to my friend and the floundering upside-down canoe, tied a rope to it and hauled it to the boat owner's island. Our saviors were an old couple and their loving Newfy. The three of them lived on a little pine covered rock in the middle of the lake in a fabulous log house typical of Adirondacks 'camps'. They were nice enough to give us dry clothes while ours dried in front of a large stone fireplace. Then they fed us hot soup, coffee and sandwiches. I guess we spent 2 hours or so with them until the storm subsided. They were a delightful threesome indeed! When it was time to leave they gave us some letters to mail and we bid adieu. I often wondered if I actually had the ability to make that monumental swim and in effect they probably saved my life.
 
Thats a great story @Boonslick I think some dogs just have that innate drive or desire to help people. That one that helped drag you into the boat sure did! Kind of makes you wonder if the dog at Petersburg was trying to stop those men from killing each other...you know entertain them long enough to maybe give them time to see how crazy it was?
 
Back
Top