picked up his mother in the "Narrows" while crossing from Fort Hamilton
to the fortifications opposite on Staten Island. She had doubtless
fallen overboard from some passing vessel and had drifted out of
sight before her absence had been discovered. He rescued her and
took her home, where she was welcomed by his children an made much of.
She was a handsome little thing, with cropped ears and a short tail.
My father named her "Dart." She was a fine ratter, and with the
assistance of a Maltese cat, also a member of the family, the many
rats which infested the house and stables were driven away or destroyed.
She and the cat were fed out of the same plate, but Dart was not
allowed to begin the meal until the cat had finished.

Spec was born at Fort Hamilton and was the joy of us children, our pet
and companion. My father would not allow his tail and ears to be
cropped. When he grew up, he accompanied us everywhere and was in
the habit of going into church with the family. As some of the little
ones allowed their devotions to be disturbed by Spec's presence, my
father determined to leave him at home on those occasions. So the
next Sunday morning, he was sent up to the front room of the second
story. After the family had left for church he contented himself for
awhile looking out of the window, which was open, it being summer time.
Presently impatience overcame his judgement and he jumped to the ground,
landed safely notwithstanding the distance, joined the family just as
they reached the church, and went in with them as usual, much to the
joy of the children. After that he was allowed to go to church whenever
he wished. My father was very fond of him, and loved to talk to him
and about him as if he were really one of us. In a letter to my mother,
dated Fort Hamilton, January 18, 1846, when she and her children were
on a visit to Arlington, he thus speaks of him: