Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

     There is now in Wheeling a mule whose remarkable career is deserving of some notice. This mule was drafted into the army shortly after the rebellion exhibited to full view its gigantic head, and was afterwards transferred to the famous Jackass Battery. He was engaged in the battle of McDowell, Cross Keys, and followed Fremont all through the valley of Virginia in the pursuit of Stonewall Jackson. The mule, whose name is Thomas, but is called “Tom,” for short, is remarkable for his great coolness under fire. He seemed to care no more for the whistling of cannon balls than if they had been so many blue-bellied flies. “Tom” has been wounded six times. He has a bullet through each ear, and a Minie ball shaved off his tail close to his body. At the battle of Cross Keys a ball entered his hip and came out in the middle of his back, but not withstanding all this he soon recovered again and was ready for duty. About three months ago, Tom, having been transfered from the Jackass Battery to a baggage wagon, found some wild cucumbers on the road which had been thrown from a bottle of bitters, and eating freely of the same, became so intoxicated that his driver at once dismissed him from the service, and he was sold to a discharged soldier, who paid for him with a badly damaged overcoat. He was thus hastily disposed of under the impression that he was afflicted with the blind staggers. Tom soon recovered from his intoxication, and was sent to Wheeling where he is fast recovering from the stress of his campaign among the mountains. He is in great spirits now and we understand he thinks of reenlisting for the war.