Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-03-12
HorSeS.

Wars could not be WAged without that Iobest Of all
animals man himself hardly excePted-the horse. The
horse alone of all the brute kingdom, is permitted to
share the glory the danger the suFerings Of war; In
Eastern countries the eephanthas teen put in bat
tie bu the horse is the natural comrade in arms of
man. What would army be without cavalry? How
would General and his aids fare in battle or on the
march, without kersesy What would become OF the
B5egIse, ammunition, and subsistence trains of how
little use would batteries Of artillery De- If there were
horses! During the in Italy, heldpisces we're
sometimes drawn 10y iitty hundred galey-slaves;
this proved be sorry expedient, and the human
artillery cattle replaced by horses mules soon
as they could be obtained. Jobs magnificent pictare
Of the horse never be forgotten His neck is
clothed with thunder; the glory Of his noSrs is terri
bic; he paWeth in the valley and rejoiceih in his
Strength; he gocth on to meet the armed men. He
mocketh at and is not aighed; neither turneth
he back from the sword The quiVer rattle+h against
him. the gtteriug spear and the shield lie swalloweth
the ground with fercoLes and rage; neither beeveth
be that ii Is the sound OF the trumpet Ho saith among
the trumpeta, "Ha! Ha," and he smeeth tho battle
aSr of, the thunder of the captains and tho shout
ing.
This glorious animal has been so abused and neglect
ell in the army that there is Danger OF the war being
brought 70 a stand sill for the want Of him. In the
question OF food, now prominont, the horss is
much interested as man. FER Ike man. he is both con-
sumner and producer OF grain The number OF horses
required for the army is enormous and the subtraction
OF horse power from agricultural labor Is poportionale
When economy is the order OF the day il well for
to about fot means to slb.is. the rapidly diminish
ing stock OF LoTses in the Conderacy, and 10 devise
measures for preserving the horses We now have. An
estimate Of the consumption Of horses in the army
vca's tho appalling fact, that in the artillery service
alone the loss ia l50 per cent per annum or in other
wors, That gun dram by four horses will, in the
course OF twelve hoaIhs up horses aud require
ak mosc Tor the ensuing year. Something should be
done to arrest his immense waists of life and to supply
the losses.
Doubtless there officers charged with the duty Of
inspecting cavalry, artillery and transportation trains,
and OF reporting all instances OF gross neglect and
erao iresthGt. But oaicorB in command Of cav
airy and artillery, aud the qIArlermailcrs in charge OF
transportation made responsible FOR the condition of
their beaat' Are they punished for negIec, OF
them: II not; how. is expected that tho dreadful
waste Of If. going b, arrested?
But there is error in the management and di,po
sal Of brokOn down horses which il amended, would go
far towards filing up the thinned ranks OF our artillery
cavalry and transportation trains We allude 70 the
aurise practice Of aloTn; brOkendown horses to ac
cuEu!Ie in large numbers OF two, ,hreS four hun
lred at time, and OF sending Thorn long distances to
counties where forage is plentiful instead Of uispoSsg
Of them al onca az fast as they break down. When
sent long distances many die the way and after
hey reach the pastures many OF them collected
ogetner that OF them sure to DO neglected
The proper plan is to have, in every considerable army
veckly sales Of brokendown horses Let the place and
ne OF the sale DO known TO tho farmers Of tho vicin
y ,ol them for whatever they viii bring, and be done
With them The farmers will buy them, take them |
iome attend to them carefully, get them in good OF
ler and in the of few weeks months they will
ready for service sgain They should be again bought
Il fair price, not impressed. Romunera,e the farmer
or his trouble little in this particu-
az will save Thousands Of horses aud hundreds OF thou
nd - 1nt.r.-