“Prevailed
on them to follow him to the fatal spot…”
Consider
this account from the diary of Dr. James Thacher, a surgeon in the Continental
Army during the Revolutionary War. The events below occurred near Saratoga, New
York, in October or November 1777. They are taken from Dr. Thatcher's book “A Military
Journal During the American Revolutionary War.”
“Among
the most remarkable occurances which come under my observation, the following
is deserving of particular notice.
“Captain
Greg, of one of the New York regiments, while stationed at Fort Stanwix, on the
Mohawk river, went with two of his soldiers into the woods a short distance to
shoot pigeons; a party of Indians started suddenly from concealment in the
bushes, shot them all down, tomahawked and scalped them, and left them for
dead.
“The
captain, after some time revived, and perceiving his men were killed; himself
robbed of his scalp, and suffering extreme agony from his numerous wounds, made
an effort to move and lay his bleeding head on one of the dead bodies,
expecting soon to expire.
In
the tenderest manner
“A
faithful dog who accompanied him, manifested great agitation, and in the
tenderest manner licked his wounds, which afforded him great relief from
exquisite distress. He then directed the dog, as if a human being, to go in
search of some person to come to his relief.
“The
animal, with every appearance of anxiety, ran about a mile, when he met two men
fishing in the river, and endeavored in the most moving manner, by whining and
piteous cries, to prevail on them to follow him into the woods; struck with the
singular conduct of the dog, they were induced to follow him a part of the way,
but fearing some decoy or danger, they were about to return, when the dog,
fixing his eyes on them, renewed his entreaties by his cries, and taking hold
of their clothes with his teeth, prevailed on them to follow him to the fatal
spot.
“Such
as the remarkable fidelity and sagacity of this animal. Captain Greg was immediately
carried to the fort, where his wounds were dressed; he was afterward removed to
our hospital and put under my care.
“He
was a most frightful spectacle; the whole of his scalp was removed; in two
places on the fore part of his head, the tomahawk had penetrated through the
skull; there was a wound on his back with the same instrument, besides a wound
in his side and another through his arm by a musket ball.
Kind
and over-ruling Providence
“This
unfortunate man, after suffering extremely for a long time, finally recovered,
and appeared to be well satisfied in having his scalp restored to him, though
uncovered with hair.
“The
Indian mode of scalping their victims is this—with a knife they made a circular
cut form the forehead quite round, just about the ears, then taking hold of the
skin with their teeth, they tear off the whole hairy scalp in an instant, with
wonderful dexterity.
“This
they carefully dry and preserve as a trophy, showing the number of their
victims, and they have a method of painting on the dried scalp, different
figures, and colors, to designate the sex and age of the victim, and also the
manner and circumstance of the murder.”
In
the consideration of this tale of canine courage, remember the bravery of
Captain Greg and his compatriots, as well as that of Dr. Thatcher. His diary
begins when he entered the service in January 1775 with this entry:
“I
shall venture, I hope not rashly, to enlist, and trust my destiny in the hands
of a kind and over-ruling Providence. My contemplated enterprise, it is true,
requires the experience and resolution of riper years than twenty one….”
Upon returning home in 1783, Dr. Thacher practiced in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
He died at the age of 90 in 1844.
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