The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-10-20
From the New York MALL
Abraham Lincoln an Expert hOFSes
man.


The Tribune, in an art criticism on |
ths Lincoln Statue" so called, IN |
Uoion Square, says that an equestrian |
statue was not to be thought OF, because
MIR. Lincoln was no horseman, like
Washington or Scott" While it may
be true that an equestrian statue, TO
represent civilian and "a remarkably |
homely man. as the critic chooses
to characterize the late President,
would Eot be altogether appropriate,
yet the reason for not creating such Q
statue caLn9t be that he was no
| horsem2n." 1t is a great mistake.
President Lincoln was a great horse
man. If it can be asserted, truly, that
Abraham Lincoln ever did anything
gracefully, it would apply to his
hoTsemanship more than to any other
act of his life. The writer will never
| forget the first test in the art Of riding
applied to Mr.. Lincoln during the
war; nor will Gen. Mcclellan forget
it. 1t was In November, 1861. Gen.
| Mcclellan was in command of the
army OF the Potomac, and a grand re-
view OF 10000 troops was TO be made
by the President. Some of McClelc
| I2R's staff, knowing that the General
was msn of great endurance and ex.
psftneas in the saddle, laughed at the
tidea of MIR. Lincoln's attempting to
keep up with him in the severe or
/ deal OF riding down the lines. They
rather limited that the General would
move rapidly to test Mr.. Liuceln's CO.
pacity as rider. There were those
on the field in Virginia that day, how
ever, who had seen Mr.. Lincoln in
the saddle in Illinois, aud they were
verv confident.
They knew their man. A splendid,
large, black horse, very spirited, was
4 selected for the President to ride.
When the time came he walked up 70
the animal, and the instant he seized
the bride to mount it was EVIDENT to
horsemen that he knew bis business.
He had the animal in hand at once.
No. sooner in the saddle than the coal
black steed began to prance. and
+ whirl, and dance, as if ne was proud
of his burden. But the President sat
E as undisturbed and fixed to the sad
die as if he and the horse were one.
Lincoln was spurred and the horse
was curbed in the bit, both Of which
facts the animal felt as keenly as the
rider knew it. The test of endurance
soon came. Mcclellan, with his mag
nifcent staff, approached the Presi-
dent, who Joined them. and away they
dashed to distant point on the field.
{ The artillery began to thunder, the
drums beat, and the bands struck up
"Rail to the Chief" and the troops
! cheered. Lincoln, holding the bride
in one hand, raised his hat and much
of the time held it in the other hand.
His horse, startled at the sudden
Simultaneous outbreak Of cannon,
, drums and voices, became quite act
i've, but not unmanageable. He
seemed to realiZe the fact that his
rider understood his business.
Grandly did Lincoln receive the sa.
, lutte, appearing as much undisturbed
| by the dashing movements of the
proud spirited animal upon which he
{ sat as if he had passed through such
an ordeal with the same splendid
creature before. Next came the test
of endurance. a long dash over very
rough, untTaveled ground, with here
and there ditch or hole to be jumped,
or siding to be passed. But Lin.
coin kept we'll up with Mcclellan,
who made good time as everybody
noticed. Lincoln was at home in the
saddle; everybody saw it. Finally
the riding down the lines was per
formed amidst the Haunting of stand
ards, beating of drums, loud cheering
of the men, and rapid discharge Of
artillery, every bow and then startled
the best trained horses. One horse
/ fell under a Major General. an old
army oficre, who was uniDjured. The
President went on; his graceful
charger, fired by tho tumultuous scene,
suoTted and paved the earth as If he
? would like to tear 1t to pieces. Lin
coin sat easy unto the end, when he
wheeled his horse into position to
witness the vast columns march in re-
view, Mcclellan was surprised, as
were the members of his staff, at the
wonderful horsemauship of President
Lincoln. 1t was astonishing how
much tho officers and men applauded
Lincoln.
Many time, during the war, did
| he go to tho front, and, mounting
some old war charger, dash off among
the soldiers, sometimes with McClel
Ian, sometimes with Burnside,
sometimes with Hooker, and often
times with Grant. In Washing
ton, when be resided at the Soldiers
Home, few miles from the White
/ House, Mr.. Lincoln oftener rode out
and back in the saddle than in a car
riage. He was fond of horses and
horse back. riding. He early learned
little Tad, his youngest son, now in
Germany, to ride horseback. Tad,
now quite young man, was very
skilliul rider before his fathers
death. He was as fond of horse as
was his father. Abraham Lincoln
was great lover of the horse, and q
skilled rider. Nor did be show bis
awkward form in TIE saddle much,
but looked we'll. A statue, with
horse between his long legs, would
look better and be more appropriate
than the abortion in Union Square,
representing Lincoln standing under