Newfoundland dog at Chancellorsville

As a teacher summer is my touring time, a time to get away from giving to high schoolers so I can give to me. Usually that last Friday of the year sees an excited teacher waiting for the last bell of the day then sprinting to the Milwaukee airport for a flight East. A few years ago, I decided upon a battlefield tour of Chancellorsville. Beginning the previous fall, I collected scores of 1st person accounts of the battle. During the long Wisconsin winter, I then put those accounts into a usable format: significant statements from men on both sides organized by location of the event. The binder of material I’ve collected is impressive and growing for I’ve become fascinated by the whole campaign. That summer I trod hill and woodlot of the battlefield for three days. Each location came more alive thanks to my winter’s efforts-no the efforts of the soldiers to share their experiences.

I’ll be sharing some of the more fascinating soldier experience on this blog. Today, I share an odd two, thus the title.

“We ran through the enemy camps where they were cooking supper. Tents were standing and camp-kettles were on the fire full of meat. I saw a big Newfoundland dog lying in one tent as quietly as if nothing had happened. We had a nice chance to plunder their camps and search the dead; but the men were afraid to stop as they ha to keep with the artillery and were near a good man officers who might whack them over the had with their swords if they saw them plundering; but the temptation was too great and sometimes they would run their hands in some dead man’s pockets as they hurried along, but seldom procured anything of value.”
John O Casler, 33rd Virginia

“Noticed a large Newfoundland dog- in the agonies of death with a ball hole through him.”
Samuel Pickens Company D 5th Alabama

So there you have it, amongst the death and destruction of Jackson’s flank attack, two men, from different regiments, share the last moments of a dog. One of the sad byproducts of war is the destruction of that which has no interest or purpose in war, in this case a dog, a companion of a soldier, killed in battle.