Jack, the Soldier Dog I was looking up some details about discharges in the book which my my great-gra ndfather

wrote which is a history of the 5th Connecticut Regiment in the Civil W ar. Inserted after comments about General Joe Hooker and a much beloved General "Pap" Williams was the following story about of a dog which attached himself to F Company in Winchester in 1862. This tribute to a "black and tan terrier" made me smile despite all of the horro rs that were depicted in the book. There were many dogs in the regiment which staid in for longer or shorter times, ac cording to their own inclinations or the value placed upon them by the men of th e regiment. When the regiment passed through Winchester, a black and tan terrier , weighing perhaps fifteen pounds, joined it and became domiciled in Company F. He was named Jack, and although he was not a handsome dog in any respect. he ver y soon became, on account of his intelligence, a very general favorite. He was a remarkably successful dog in a fight, and would generally maintain himself agai nst any other dog of twice his weight or less. He was fleet and would often over take and catch a rabbit in a straight away run. He had a peculiar respect for the commanding officer of whatever detachment or e xpedition he was upon. If the whole company was out, he kept close to the captai n. If only a platoon he kept with the lieutenant in command. If only a sergeant and squad he kept with the sergeant. On dress parades, which he was very particu lar to attend, he left the company and went to the rear of the colonel or comman der of parade and there seated himself and watched the parade with as much inter est and dignity as if had pay for it, or had to make a report of it. He never wa s known in but one instance to seat himself between the colonel and the regiment . At night he would manage to get inside the blanket and curl around the feet of whoever he slept with, and he was as good as a hot brick for the night. He knew how, also, to keep himself free of fleas and vermin of any kind, which was more than his tent mates could do at all times. He took a general supervision of aff airs, and at daylight always turned out and nosed around the cook till he was st arted, and then would look up the orderly and start him. Although all soldiers l ooked alike, he could tell a Company F man as far as he could see him from any o ther soldier without mistake, and he never followed others. Of that company for a long time he did not attach himself to anyone in particular, but like some pol iticians, whenever there was a division went with the majority. In battle he became highly excited and faced the rebels several feet ahead of th e company line and expressed all the exasperation that a dog can ever show towar ds an enemy. If they ran he would follow them up and get in his little nip at so pme of their disloyal heels if it was possible. The striking of a shell into the ground near him would make him almost wild, and he would spring about in all di rections as if it were possible he was trying to see and catch the missile that had caused such commotion. He went home with Kernan to Rockville at the end of his three year , and there spent the remainder of his days. s term of service

Edwin E. Marvin, Third Captain F Compnay, Fifth Regiment Connecticut Vounteers