Alexander the Great Names a City After His War Dog Peritas

Some believe that if it wasn't for Peritas, Alexander the Great would have died before his time - changing the course of history.

Alexander III of Macedon earned the epithet "the Great" due to his success as a military commander. Being a noble and commander, Alexander had many dogs including hunting and war dogs. His favorite was his war dog Peritas, who accompanied him during his military exploits. Many believe Peritas was a Molossian, an enormous and powerful breed of ancient Greece that was bred to fight in war. According to the AKC, "Alexander is known to have crossed the giant Macedonian and Epirian war dogs with the short haired "Indian" dogs to create the [now extinct] Molossus. This animal is easily recognized as the great forefather of the Neapolitan Mastiff." However, some believe Peritas was more of an Afghan Hound or Saluki, rather than an early Mastiff type.

According to Pliny the Elder (a Roman author AD 23 - AD 79), it was probably Alexander's uncle, the King of Epirus, who gave him Peritas because the dog had managed to attack and beat both a lion and an elephant. Alexander had a special bond with Peritas, just like he did with his horse Bucephalus. Both animals had a city named in their honor after their deaths. According to Plutarch (a Greek biographer AD 46 - AD 120), after recalling the story of Bucephalus, "It is said, too, that when he lost a dog also, named Peritas, which had been reared by him and was loved by him, he founded a city and gave it the dog's name." There are two versions of how the brave dog saved his master's life and died doing so.

One says Peritas died after bringing down a war elephant that was charging towards Alexander, and the other claims the dog died when saving Alexander's life from the Mallians during an attack in India. The second version says Alexander was trapped behind fortifications away from his troops, and Leonnatus (an officer of Alexander) who heard Peritas howling behind him told the dog to run to Alexander. Peritas fought his way to his wounded master and was able to hold the Mallians off long enough for Alexander's men to arrive and save him. When the men arrived, Peritas who was badly wounded had his head on his master's lap and died.

Peritas died around 350 BC, and besides naming a city after the brave and heroic dog, Alexander the Great honored Peritas with a large funeral and ordered the local residents to honor his dog's death every year with a festival.

The Dog Who Made History During the American Revolutionary War

General William Howe's dog became famous for having lost her way at the Battle of Germantown.

British General Sir William Howe

On October 4, 1777, before the sun rose, General George Washington and his troops did a surprise attack on the British at Germantown. Heavy fog helped cover their approach and caused the first wave of British troops to retreat, but only after they had set fire to a field. The mix of fog and smoke made it hard to see who was friend and foe. In just three hours General Howe and his troops were routed. 152 Americans were killed, 521 were wounded and 438 were captured. 71 British were killed, 448 were wounded and 14 missing.

During the attack, General Howe's fox terrier named Lila became lost in the commotion and ended up joining the American troops as they made there way back to camp. The dog wore a collar identifying herself as General Howe's dog. When George Washington found out who the terrier belonged to, he ordered that the dog be returned to the General with a note. The note, believed to have been penned by Washington's aide-de-camp Alexander Hamilton, reads "General Washington’s compliments to General Howe. He does himself the pleasure to return [to] him a dog, which accidentally fell into his hands, and by the inscription on the Collar appears to belong to General Howe." Before returning the dog, Washington had the dog fed, cleaned and brushed.

George Washington was an avid dog lover, so some may think this is why he returned his foe's dog. Others may think he returned Lila because of his honesty (the legendary anecdote of the cherry tree - "I cannot tell a lie"). However, according to Dr. Francis Spring Ronalds, an authority on the American Revolution, "G. W. [George Washington] never missed a chance to gain knowledge of the enemy, and what a splendid opportunity this was to spy on British Headquarters! The British could not refuse a flag returning the General’s dog."

If General Howe had responded to Washington's note, his reply has been lost.

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The Most Photographed Dog of the Civil War

The spotted dog, name unknown, belonged to Quartermaster General Rufus Ingalls.

General Ingalls took a trip to Washington DC and returned to Virginia with a handsome dog. Dalmatians were a rare sight in the US at that time period so the spotted dog caught quite a bit of attention. They were popular in England and were used by royalty and those of wealth as companions and coach dogs. Ingalls and the dog formed a close bond and were hardly ever apart. According to the book Campaigning with Grant, Grant often remarked on the dog when the two Generals met:

"One evening, as the general was sitting in front of his quarters, Ingalls came up to have a chat with him, and was followed by the dog, which sat down in the usual place at its master's feet. The animal squatted upon its hind quarters, licked its chops, pricked up its ears, and looked first at one officer and then at the other, as if to say: 'I am General Ingalls's dog; whose pup are you?' In the course of his remarks General Grant took a look at the animal, and said: 'Well, Ingalls, what are your real intentions in regard to that dog? Do you expect to take it into Richmond with you?' Ingalls, who was noted for his dry humor, replied with mock seriousness and an air of extreme patience: 'I hope to; it is said to come from a long-lived breed.' This retort, coupled with the comical attitude of the dog at the time, turned the laugh upon the general, who joined heartily in the merriment, and seemed to enjoy the joke as much as any of the party."

Moustache: A French Poodle Who Served in Two Wars

Moustache became famous in history for having participated in two wars - the French Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic War.

An engraving of Moustache at the Battle of Austerlitz

Moustache, a black French poodle, was born around September 1799 in Normandy. At the age of six months, the dog belonged to a kind hearted grocer in Caen. Despite a good life, Moustache found a new one after having seen a regiment of French grenadiers passing through town. The poodle took a liking to the men and followed them as they marched along the streets. After three days, the drum major allowed Moustache to accompany the unit on campaign.

Moustache headed to Italy, crossing the Great St Bernard Pass through the Alps, with Napoleon Bonaparte's army. On one stormy night in the spring of 1800, while the regiment camped near Belbo, Moustache alerted the soldiers of a sneak attack as the Austrians approached. His early warning allowed the French to repulse their attack. For his heroism, Moustache was formally placed on the roll as a grenadier. He was given a collar bearing the regiment's name, and was entitled to a grenadier's rations and a once a week grooming from the unit's barber.

Shortly after, while en route to Spinetta Marengo, Moustache was injured in his left shoulder from a bayonet. He was treated but not fully recovered during the battle of Marengo. Despite his injury, he participated in the battle. "He marched always keeping close to the banner, which he learned to recognize among a hundred: and... never ceased barking, until evening closed upon the combatants of Marengo." It was also around this time that Moustache saved the life of an officer who was being attacked by the enemy's dog. Moustache fought the larger and stronger dog until the other dog was shot dead, but lost an ear from the musket ball that killed the Austrian dog. Shortly after the French victory at Marengo, Moustache left the grenadiers and joined a company of mounted cuirassiers.

In 1805, during the battle of Austerlitz, Moustache received a medal for his bravery and dedication after recovering the French flag from a fallen regimental standard bearer, and losing a leg from an artillery blast while doing it. His medal was engraved with the words "He lost his leg in the battle of Austerlitz and saved the colors of his regiment." Moustache's reputation was well known and orders were given that wherever he goes "he should be welcomed, en camarade; and thus he continued to follow the army. Having but three paws and one ear."

In 1809, during the battle of Essling, Moustache met a female poodle amongst the enemy. She followed Moustache back to the French camp, they stayed together for about a year, and even had a litter of puppies which the women in the camp took care of.

Moustache moved on, following a unit to Spain. On March 11, 1812, the heroic poodle was struck by a cannonball and killed during the battle of Badajoz. It is said Moustache was buried on the battlefield with a gravestone engraved with the words "Here lies the brave Moustache."

Harvey: Civil War's Barking Dog

Harvey became famous in history as a Civil War dog who stood by his men, during the good and bad times.

During the Civil War it was not uncommon for soldiers to bring their dogs with them. Daniel M. Stearns of Wellsville, Ohio was one of them. He and his dog Harvey, a bull terrier, became part of the 104th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Company F in 1862. Harvey, one of three mascot dogs with the company, was the only one to serve the full three years of active duty with the unit - longer than most of the men. During his time of service, he would bark at the enemy and was wounded at least twice when his company went into battle. The first time he was wounded he was captured and returned the next day under a flag of truce.

The soldiers of Company F often wrote home about the dogs. Captain William Jordan wrote his children describing Harvey and Colonel as "having the run of the regiment." The two dogs would sleep in whatever tent that best suited them for the night. Jordan also wrote to his family how Teaser, the other canine mascot, ran after one of the company's pet squirrel and how Harvey saved the rodent by picking it up in his mouth and bringing it out of harm's way. Another letter, written by Private Adam Weaver to his brother, told about Harvey attending campfire sing-alongs. Harvey would sway from side to side and bark while the men sang. Some believed the dog was joining in with the music but according to Weaver "My idea is that the noise hurts his ears as it does mine!"

Stearns was proud of his dog and when promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in 1862 he had a special brass tag made to hang on his dog's collar that read "I am Lieutenant D.M. Stearns dog. Whose dog are you?" In 1865 Company F mustered out of the military when the Confederate Army surrendered. After the war, the regiment had a portrait of Harvey painted so they could display it at reunions, and their favorite mascot's picture was on the badges the men wore during the social gathering.

Harvey survived his wounds and it is believed he lived his remaining days with Stearns.

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Bob: Helped Troops During the Boer War

Although very little information is known about Bob, this brave dog had an important role in history helping his fellow men who fought in the Boer War.

Boer War postcard

There were two Boer Wars: The first was during 1880-1881 when the South African Boers fought England in order to regain the independence they had given up to obtain British help against the Zulus. The second (also called the Anglo-Boer War or the South African War) was during 1899-1902 when the Boers of the Transvaal and Orange Free State declared war on Britain.

The daytime heat in South Africa was often severe and supplies like water was limited to the soldiers on trek. However, some soldiers were fortunate to have Bob the dog. The men would strap bottles to Bob's body and the dog would go to a stream (dodging bullets), lie down in the water until the bottles were full, then bring the water back for the troops.

My guess is, the water Bob brought to the soldiers helped save many lives.

Jack: Civil War Dog Hero and POW

Jack became famous in history as the mascot for the 102nd Pennsylvania Infantry. When captured, the regiment exchanged a Confederate prisoner for the dog who stood by them.

Before the outbreak of the Civil War, a stray bull terrier wandered into the firehouse of the Niagara Volunteer Company on Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh. At first, the men basically ignored the dog and some were even unkindly to him. After one man kicked the dog, fracturing his leg, some took pity on him and helped nurse him back to health. After fighting a much larger dog to the finish, the bull terrier won the respect from all the tough men in the firehouse. The dog, given the name Jack, became a part of the team and went on to answer every fire call the company ran.

When volunteers were needed for the war, most of the firemen enlisted in the 102nd Pennsylvania Volunteers Regiment and took Jack with them. Jack was a smart dog and quickly learned what the different bugle calls meant. The regiment's first duty was to defend Washington, DC, which they did during August 1861 until March 1862. After that, they fought in many bloody and deadly battles. Jack would run to the front lines during battle and after each battle he would comfort the wounded and dying soldiers and later search for the dead. If the men were in need of water or food while marching, Jack would lead them to a water source and catch small animals for them to eat.

Jack was wounded twice during his time of service. At Malvern Hill he was severely wounded when he was shot through the shoulder and neck. The medics of the regiment were able to save him and soon Jack was back on the field. He suffered lesser wounds while at Fredericksburg. Jack was also captured twice by the Confederate soldiers. Once he was able to escape six hours after being captured, and the other time he was held as a prisoner of war (POW) for six months before he was exchanged for a Confederate prisoner. While in prison, Jack's presence cheered up and gave hope to other Union prisoners.

In August 1864, the men of the regiment raised $75 and bought a silver collar and medal for Jack while in Pittsburgh on veteran furlough. On December 23, 1864, Jack disappeared and was never seen again. Some believe he was killed by somebody who wanted his silver collar.

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Dogs in Ancient Warfare

Dogs in warfare have a long history, dating back to ancient times before Christ. The Greeks, Persians, Egyptians, Britons and Romans, among others, all used dogs. They were used as guards and were also sent on the battlefield, usually protected by spiked collars or clad in coats of mail armour. The Molossian (or Canis Molossus) dog was the primary war dog of both the Greeks and the Romans, and was specially bred just for combat.

Molossian war dog

The earliest recorded use of war dogs dates back to around 600 BC. Alyattes, the King of Lydia, drove the Cimmerians from Asia Minor with the help of dogs. Alyattes reportedly had his soldiers turn packs of dogs loose on Cimmerian troops. The dogs were particularly effective, having killed some of the invaders. Around the same time Magnesian troops used dogs in the war against the Ephesians. The Magnesian horsemen were each accompanied by a dog and a spear-wielding attendant. The dogs were released first to breach the enemy ranks, followed by an assault of spears and then a cavalry charge. An epitaph records the burial of a mounted warrior named Hippaemon with his dog Lethargos, his horse Podargos and his squire Babes.

In 525 BC, according to legend, the Persians used dogs (and other animals including cats) as shields against the Egyptians during the Battle of Pelusium. The Egyptians regarded certain animals as being sacred and their religion forbade harm towards them on any account.

A mural depicting the war dog at the Battle of Marathon, 490 BC

In 281 BC Lysimachus, who ruled Thrace, Asia Minor and Macedon, was killed during the Battle of Corupedium. His body was found on the field a few days later with his faithful dog protecting his corpse from birds of prey.

In 231 BC Marcus Pomponius Matho used dogs to hunt guerrillas hiding in caves while leading the Roman legions through the inland of Sardinia, and in 55 BC Julius Caesar used English mastiffs when invading Britain. Caesar described the dogs in his accounts as powerful and courageous when they fought alongside their masters.

War dogs have come a long way since earlier days as times changed, but one thing has not changed - dogs remain loyal to the troops they serve.

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Jack Brutus: Spanish-American War Mascot

Jack Brutus, also known as Old Jack, became famous in history as the official mascot for Company K, First Connecticut Volunteer Infantry.

Jack Brutus in uniform

Old Jack was born in Cumberland, Maine in 1891 and led an exciting life even before he served his country. According to George Thayer (who wrote a book about the history of Company K), "He [Jack] had friends in most of the cities in New England through his associations with the traveling public at the West End Hotel at Portland. Frequently he visited them in their own homes, taking passage in some steamer or boarding some train, and returning to Portland in due time."

In May 1898, Company K met Brutus at Fort Preble in Portland, Maine. The soldiers bonded quickly with the dog and declared him as their company's official mascot. Old Jack traveled with the men as they encamped at various places on the Eastern seaboard - from Maine to Virginia - providing coastal defense during the Spanish-American War.

Brutus was a large breed dog and about seven years old during his service with Company K. While at Camp Alger near Falls Church, Virginia, he had a hard time tolerating the heat and the soldiers feared he would not survive. The men took well care of Jack and eventually he recovered. Old Jack also had a snoring problem that would wake the soldiers at night. A vote was taken on who was the "loudest snorer" in the camp and Brutus came in second place.

In late 1898, Wagoner Ahearn mustered out of the Army and took Jack home with him. While under a physician's care, Old Jack died from spinal problems on November 20 of that year. He was given a suitable burial and will always be remembered as a loyal war dog to the men in Company K.

Sallie Ann: Civil War Dog Hero

Sallie Ann Jarrett became a famous dog hero in the deadliest war in American history. The brave and loyal canine stood by her fellow soldiers for almost three years in some of the bloodiest battles during the Civil War.

In May 1861, a civilian presented a four week old bull terrier to the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry at a training camp in West Chester. The men named the little brindle puppy Sallie Ann Jarrett - after Sallie Ann, a pretty young lady of a nearby town who would drop by to visit, and after their commander Colonel P. Jarrett. Sallie, who could barely get around on her short wobbly legs, became the official regimental mascot. She was well taken care of and soon became very fond of her new friends. Sallie Ann adapted quickly to army life, learning the various drum rolls and bugle calls. She joined the soldiers at their drills, and eventually learned to take her place at the head of the regiment with the colonel's horse.

The regiment and Sallie proceeded south to engage the rebels in April 1862. She saw her first combat at Cedar Mountain. Sallie went with the men to the front lines and would bark furiously at the enemy. She was brave when under enemy fire, and even a bit humorous when she would chase after the bullets that struck the ground around them.

On September 17, 1862, the soldiers were fighting in the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, the Battle of Antietam. The men attempted to send Sallie to the rear to protect her from the vicious fighting, but the dedicated dog refused to go. Thousands of lives were taken that day. Sallie survived, and gave birth to 10 puppies one month later. When weaned, the little dogs were sent north to good families while Sallie remained with the soldiers.

In the spring of 1863, Sallie as usual at the head of her regiment stood before Abraham Lincoln during the Army of the Potomac's review. Legend says the president doffed his tall stovepipe hat to acknowledge the dog.

In July 1863, Sallie became separated from her regiment during the retreat through Gettysburg, and the men feared she had been killed. She was unable to pass through the Confederate army to reach her unit so she went back to their previous location on Oak Ridge. Three days later, after the battle, a member of the brigade found the tired and hungry dog guarding her wounded and deceased comrades.

On May 8, 1864, Sallie was shot in the neck, was treated and returned to active duty a few days later. The bullet, a minie ball, remained lodged in her neck for several months before it worked its way out, leaving a noticeable and honorable battle scar.

On the night of February 5, 1865, Sallie kept waking the men with her mournful cries as though she knew something bad was about to happen. The following morning, Sallie Ann was struck by a bullet and killed during the Battle of Hatcher's Run - three months before the end of the war.

“Poor Sallie fell in the front line in the fight at the Run - a bullet pierced her brain,” mourned a fellow soldier in a letter after the battle. “She was buried where she fell, by some of the boys, even whilst under a murderous fire, so much had they become attached to the poor brute, who so long had shared with them the toilsome march and the perils of battle. It would, indeed, be a pleasant reverie if one could reconcile himself the poor Indian’s theory of the happy hunting-grounds, where his faithful dog would bear him company.”

Close up of Sallie Ann Jarrett at the base of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry monument

In 1890, the veterans of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry erected their monument at Gettysburg. One veteran described the monument as “A bronze soldier on top, looking over the field, while the dog, Sallie, is lying at the base keeping guard.”

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