Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-04-21

morning uaW0eu, ana tne mare anu
! took our last meal together ON South
: ern sOil-the last we ever took tOgeth
or. The brigade was formed in lin
| for the last time, and as rode dOwl
the front to review the boys, sh
moved with all her old battle gFac
, and power. Only now and then, by
shake of the head, was reminded O
her actions during the night. l SAT-
a few words of farewell to the mel
whom L had led so often to battle
with whom l had shared periIs not
few, and by whom, as L had reason 5,
think, L was loved, and then gave
with a voice slightly unsteady, tn,
last order that they would ever Teeeiv,
from me: Brigade, Attention, Ready
to break ranks, Break Ranks" The
order was Obeyed. But ere they scat
Tered, moved 10y common impulse
they gave first three cheers for me
and then, with the same heartiness
and even more power, three cheers fol
GuInare. And she, standing there
looking with her bright, cheerful
cOuntenance full at the men, paving
with her fore feet, alternately, the
ground, seemed to understand the
/ compliment, for no sooner had the
cheering died away than she arehed
her neck to its proudest curve. lifted
her thin, delicate head into the air.
and gave a short, joyful neigh.
My arrangements for transporting
ner mad been made by friend the
day before. \ large, rOomy car had
been secured, its floor strewn with
bright, clean straw, bucket and a
bag OF oats provided, and everything
I done for her comfort. The ear was 10
be attached to the through express, in
consideration of fifty dollars extra,
which L gladly paid, because of the
greater rapidity with which it enabled
me TO make my journey. As the
brigade broke up into groups, / glanc-
ed at my watch and saw that i had
barely time to reach the cars before
they started. shook the reins upOn
her neck, and with a plunge, startled
at the energy of my signal. away she
flew. What stride she hadl What
an elastic spring! She touched and
left the earth as if her limbs were of
| spiral wire. When / reached theIear
my friend was standing in front of il,
the Sang-plank was ready, / leaped
from the saddle and, running up
the plan into the car, whistled to
heri and she, timid and hesitating.
yet unwilling to be separated from me.
erept slowly and cautiously up the
steep incline and stood beside me.
Inside i found a complete suit of
flannel clothes with blanket and,
better than all, a lunch-basket. NV
friend explained that he had bought
the clothes as he came down to the
depot, thinking, as he said, that thev
would be much better than YOUR regi-
mentals, and suggested that l dOff
the one and don the other. To this I
assented more readily as | reflected
that / would have TO pass one night
at least in the car, with 10 better bed
than the straw under my feet. | had
barely time to untress before the cars
Were coupled and started. / tossed
the clothes to my friend with the
injunction to pack them in my trunk
and express them on 10 me, and
waved him my adieu. l arrayed my
self in the nice cool flannel and
looked around. The thOughtfulness
of my friend had anticipated every
want. An old can e-seated chair stood
in one corner. The luneh-basket was
large and well supplied. Amid the
oats i found a dozen oranges, some
bananas, and a package Of real Ha-
wanna cigars. How / called down
blessings on his thoughtful head as
took the chair and lighted one of the
hne Favored B9ar0s, gaZed out on the
fields past which VIC were gliding, yet
wet with morning dew. As / sat
dreamily admiring the beauty before
me, Gulnare came and, resting her
head upon my shoulder, seemed to
share my mood. As l stroked her
fine-haired, satin like nose, reeoIlec-
ton quickened- and memories of nur
eOmpanionship in perfts thronged
into my mind. l rode again that
midnight ride to Knoxville, when
Burnside lay intrenched, desperately
holding his own, waiting for news
from Chattanooga of which i was the
bearer, chosen by Grant himself be-
cause of the reputation of nv mare.
What riding that was! We started,
ten riders Of Us in all, each with the
same message. parted company the
first hour out with all save one. an
iron-gray stallion of Messenger blood.
Jack Murdock rode him, who learned
his hOrsemanship from buffalo and
Indian hunting on the Plains-nOt a
bad school TO graduate from. Ten
miles out of Knoxville the gray, his
fianks dripping with blood, plunged
up abreast of the mares shoulders
and fell dead and Gulnare and I
passed through the lines alone. Ihad
ridden the terrible race lrithOat tChiD
or spur. With what scenes of blood
and fight she would ever be assOcta-
ted! And then l though of home,
unyisited for four long years-that
home ! left STRIPPING, but to which 1
was returning a bronzed and bFawny
map. | thought of mother and Bob
how they would admire herr of old
Ben, the family groom, and of that
one who shall be nameless, whose
picture L had so often shown to Gull
mare a. the likeness of her future
had they not all heard of
her, my beautiful mare. she who came
to me from the smoke and Whirlwind.
my battle gift? How they would pat
her soft, smooth sides, and tie her
name with ribbons, and feed her with
all sweet things from open and ca
ressing palm! And then j thought |
OF one who might come after her to !
bear her name and repeat at least /
some portion OF her beauty-a horse /
honored and renowned the country
through, because of the transmission /
Of the mothers fame.
"AbOut three o'clock in the after
noon change came over Gulnare.
| had. fallen asleep upon the straw,
and she had come and awakened me
with touch of her nose. The mo- 7
ment L started up l saw that some
thing was the matter. Her eyes were
dull and heavy. Never before had
seen the light go out of them. The
rocking of the ear as it went jumping
and vibrating along seemed to irritate
her. She began TO rub her head
against the side OF the car. Touch
ing it, found that the skin over the I
brain was hot as fire. Her breathing
grew rapidly louder and louder. /
Each breath was drawn with q kind
Of gasping effort. The lids with their I
silken fringe dropped YEARLY over 4
the lustreless eyes. The head sank
lower and lower, until the nose
almost touched the floor. The ears,
so lively and erect, hung
limp and widely apart. The body
was cold andsenseless. n pinch elicit
ed no motion. Even my voice was at .
last unheeded. To word and touch
there came, for the first time in all
BUR Intercourse, no response. knew
Is the symptoms spread what was the
matter. The signs bore all one way.