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."
