Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-09-09
Army Stories.

Army Stories.
A BRAVE LITTLE LAD-A sAoAc1ous Hoase.
A correspondent of the Columbus (O.)
State Journal, who writes from Sherman's
army o. what he calls Sights on Horse.
back" tells this story of
BRAVE BOZ.
ain the dearth of exciting war news I
will give you the history OF a "Privato
Soldier" who is now serving in this
army. He is John Fletcher, of Lafay.
cite, Indiana, private in Company &,
slxty-6fth Indiana volunteer infantry
He was born in Albany, New York, in
1852, enlisted at Washington city D. e.,
in the Fourth United States cavalry in
1851, at the age of nine gears, He was
instructed in drill and horsemauship 1t
Carlisle barracks, and sent to the 6sld
during Buel's and Bragg's campaign in
Kentucky. He served in the Fourth
regular cavalry in that campaign, and
was twice wounded once in tae leg at
the engagement at Richmond. Ky, and
again in the thigh at PerryviIle. He was
discharged from the Fourth cavalry on
account of his wounds. He re.enlisted
in the Sixty fifth Indiana infantry volun.
teers in February, 1864. Besides serv-
ing in the campaign in Kentucky under
Buell., be was at the battles of Chick
amauga, and Mission Ridge, and at He.
sacca, and Kenesaw Mountain and is
now before Atlanta iu the present CAM
paign.
"He is quite small Of his age-not as
tall as his own gun-but packs his gun.
knapsack, canttei and haversack with
the steadiness of an old soldier, which he
really is, though so young in years. He
is now twelve years old ; in good health,
and takes his tour Of duty in the trench.
es."
HORSE STORY.
1he same correspondent says:
Among cavalry people the horse is
second in interest to the man. In fact,
horse and rider are usually spoken of as
one and the same person. Every good
cavalry man takes good care Of his horse.
provided he has good one and il he
mas not, he is mighty apt to take good
care to get such. And when he secures
such one, the attachment the brave
trooper will form for his horse is almost
romantic. You will. therefore, under.
stand why l consider it not unworthy of
the annals of this war to give the rather
remarkable history of as gallant an an.
imal as ever snulfed powder, now owed
by an officer in our cavalry command, and
mounted upon which he has been some
forty times under FIRE.
Nellie was born and raised, till she
was six years cid, in Athens county,
Ohio; was there sold to her present own
er on account Of her fondness for her
nelghbors' pastures and grain fields, and
her total disregard for ferccs, whether
rail, picket or hedge. She was taken
into tie cavalry service in 1862, but
could not be rode in line on account Of
her high spirit. BY reason of her being
u hard rider, {. E., trotting, prancing
and going sideways all the time, making
it decidedly uncomfortable for the rider.
she was not used; 6eing kept only as
IL pet, till John Morgan's first ride through
Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio in 1863
Her owner rode her six days Oh that raid.
aud was completely worn out by her
restlcssness and fretting. He then put y
black boy on her who rode her during tho
remainder Of this whole raid, riding hcr
twenty.seven days and most Of the nights.
from Somerset, kentucky, to Buf6ngtos
Island, Ohio, following the trail Of Nor.
gan with General Hobson, and thence
back to Stanford, Kentucky; in all
distance of almost one thousand miles
After resting only two days at Stanford.
her owner rode her with General Burn.
sides advance across the mountains into
East Tennessee and rode her every day
through that campaign, lasting from
August, 1868, to April, 1864; ard in
every engagement, which his command
was in. In one engagement, her owner
while riding her, ran into an ambush Of
the enemy, part Of the bridle.bit was
shot from her mouth, leaving the rider
only one rein pulling too hard on that.
her head was SO suddenly turned. that
she fell ith him, and the rider was made
prisoner. Springing up, she escaped and
swan the Tennessee river and rejoined
our cavalry with the federal troops
Her owner also escaped and came in q
ew days after. She has three times
crossed the Cumberland Mountains, where
forage has to be packed on mules for \
distance Of one hundred miles, and three
times made the march from The Tcnnss-
see Valley to the Blue Grass region Of
Kentucky.
"In the enga cement at Cyuthiana, KY.
June -, 1864, with the rebels under
John Morgan, her owner rode her in \
cavalry charge rpon the rebel retreating
column. She leapcd stone wall with
him and carried him so close to the rebels
that the blood from the wound of rebel
,ho. by her rider splashed over her face
and ears. On the recent march from tho
Blue G ass region of Kentucky, to join
he army near Atlanta, dista,co oi
over four hundred miles, she had no ri.
Ter. and WAS neither hrid ed por h,ltered