Douglas the camel

Marker for "Douglas The Camel". Cedar Hill Cemetery, Vicksburg, Mississippi

Douglas The Camel

Armies throughout history have had mascots who travel, eat, and live with the soldiers. Usually, the mascot is a horse, dog, cat, bird, or other common domesticated animal. The 43 Mississippi Company had a camel named Douglas and they soon became known as "The Camel Regiment".^[1] Douglas, also known as "Old Douglas" was responsible for the same duties as the horses. He soon won the duty of transporting baggage to and from the Officers' Mess.

It was soon discovered that Douglas would break every rope and chain that he was tied to. He was left to roam free, but never strayed far from camp. Douglas once caused a stampede when he was tied to a fence. Douglas ended up running through where the horses were grazing dragging a fence post behind him. Some horses were killed and a few men were injured. After that, Douglas was commanded to stay away from the horses and was never restrained again.^[2]

Douglas' owner died during the Battle of Corinth, but Douglas remained with his regiment. Near the end of the Siege of Vicksburg, a battalion of Union Sharpshooters were ordered to shoot Douglas. They did, but those sharpshooters were soon killed by sharpshooters from the 43 Mississippi Company. Today, Douglas the Camel has his own marker in the battlefield cemetery in Vicksburg.

Douglas' Origins

Old Douglas was given to Col. William M. Moore by a Lieutenant Hargrove of Company B. Before this, no one knows exactly how an Arabian Camel made it to Northern Mississippi. General Robert E. Lee, commander of the Confederate Army, may have been the source. While stationed in San Antonio, Texas, Lee learned that other Generals were using camels as beasts of burden in the desert regions of Texas and the West. Lee obtained 24 camels and used them in his travels through the desert.^[3] Douglas or Douglas' Sire may have likely been one of these camels.

References

1. ^ http://www.floridareenactorsonline.com/mascots.htm
2. ^ http://theusgenweb.org/ms/tishomingo/Camel.pdf
3. ^ http://www.leearchive.info/shelf/rister/09.html