Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-03-28
THE BATTLE-HORsE.
HIS Courage ON the FIeld-Gen RueI
nj shilOh-Gen. Fattle's War-HOrse

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HIS Courage ON the FIeld-Gen. RueI
nj shilOh-Gen. fattle's war-HOrse
We do not know how truly cour
ageous the horse is until he has beer
tried in the fiery crueible of war
A war test means forced marches
sleepless nights, scanty supplies o.
food, faintness from thirst, piles o
dead and dying, and the sickly smell
of blood. 1t is . test from which
the boldest often shrink, and, there
fore, the horse that proudly carries
his rider through the fierce storm OF
battle challenges our warmest al
miration. In scenes of Suffering
and danger the horse, az q rule, is
Is not less heroic than man. Those
who have supported light artillery
in a hot engagement, and have seen
how brayely stands, among the
smoke, the deafening thunder, and
the leaden hail, the horse, when his
mate has been shot down at his
side, will never forget the picture,
and they will never speak sneeringly
of equine courage.
On the stubbornly contested field
OF Shiloh, when the fierce onslaught
was made ON the Federal left, when
shell were screeching like fiery de
mons in the air, minnie balls were
whistling and falling thickly as hail
from a black summer cloud, when
the defiant confederate yell blended
savagely with the roar of artillery
and the rattle Of musketry, when
men were falling like leaves from
tree stricken with frost, when the
ground was wet with blood and the
air charged with death, when the
last line was giving way before the
murderous fire, the SCARED battle
flags of the foe already in sight,
trembling on the verge of one dark
and broad sulphurous cloud of
smoke, we saw Gen. Buell. astride
his noble horse, dash into the thick
est of the fight, deserted by his staff,
and with cleaning sword rally the
breaking line and snatch victory
from the very jaws of defeat; and
as we witnessed the thrilling scene,
we scarcely knew which to admire
most, the reckless Indifference to
death or the gallantry of the horse
and man The courage exhibited
by both bordered on the sublime.
No poltroon would have ventured
into that hot-bed of storm and dam
ger; and the horse was as calm as
the hand and iron will that guided
him.
Having seen equine courage tried,
we always look upon the veteran
war horse with pride; and when he
dies we feel that the grass that
grows above his grave marks with
its soft, emerald beauty the last
resting place of hero. Thousands
upon thousands of horses persisted
during the war, and those who
passed safely through the trial are,
one by one, dropping from the stage
of time. And as they fall let us
let us hope that the bitter memories,
but not the heroism, of the late san
culinary struggle are dying out with
them.
Our Iowa exchanges note the
death of Gen. Tuttle's WarhOrse.
This animal figured prominently
throughout the entire service of the
volunteer army. The General rode
him in every battle in which he
participated, and always could firm
ly rely on his courage. At Fort
Donelson the horse was first bap-
TIED in the smoke of battle then
he heard the thunders OF Shiloh,
and received his first wound. AT
jackson he was wounded second
time, and a third and fourth time
in the siege of Vicksburg. Honor
able scars were these, received in
the front line Of action. And Gen.
futile simply yielded to the die
tates Of humanity when he trans
ported his halt and worn battle
horse to the green pastures and
warm stables Of Iowa, where, re-
ceiving every kind of attention, he
nursed his wounds, then bowed his
head and died. "An honest horse
and true patriot" was the eulogy
pronounced at the grave of the dead
steed last week by his owner, and
we thus blazen the words in type
that they may stand a monument
to the memory of the gallant dead.
|-TUrf, Field and Farm.