First of all lets get the dog's name out of the way. Thank's Dan! His name really was Blacky and he was a faithful mascot of the 3rd Rhode Island Heavy Artillery. He went with the regiment to Tybee Island in '62 to help the men who were preparing for the investment of Fort Pulaski guarding the mouth of the Savannah River. He hated the voyage from Providence to Hilton Head, SC. The Army transport ships were awful and he was sick for three days just like most of the artillerymen. His masters were assigned to the Columbiad Batteries Scott, Lincoln and Lyon on the north shore of Tybee. Blacky saw the heavy wrought iron carriages tossed unceremoniously from the ordnance barges onto the beach just south of the northeast corner of Tybee Island. The Rodman 8 or 10 Inch Columbiad pictured was dragged across a miasmic swamp almost 2 miles over a plank and brush road and emplaced at night in the rain behind low parapets that were designed more to keep the river water out of the front-pintle, barbette, positions than to provide protection to the artillerymen. What the faithful mascot remembered the most about his experiences on Tybee was how all the deer along the shore jumped up, spun around and disappeared into the thickets at the same instant as the opening gun boomed it's belated salute. Blacky hid in one of the powder magazines all day to get away from the tumultuous, jarring, cacophony of sound from the bombardment and was kept up all night during the battle as the 13" seacoast mortars in nearby batteries were assigned harassment fires at 15 minute intervals throughout the night. This photo is extremely rare and one of the very, very few to come from that conflict in 1862.
Well, guess that's it. Glad to help out.
Tracy and Mike
