Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-10-08

| you We had some pretty fousn times.
How was Cusier? HE was a
splendid leader, and when he was upon
nv staff he did some wonderfully
brilliant things. The trouble with
Custer was. that he would not see that
his whole force was available. He
would rush in and lead regiment in a
charge and let whole brigade look at
him."
What was he on your staff ?" I" He
was captain A. d. c., but had him
promoted to brigadier. general. He
would have licked the Indians on the
Little Big Horn if lie had kept his
command together"
l remember that in the army OF the
Potomac, where served as tiie.closer
in the rear rank until knocked over
with piece of she'll at Antie,am, Gen
eral Pleasonton was REGARDED as the
best horseman in the army. Why
shout he not have been. When the
war broke out be was Colonel of the
Second Dragons, a graduate OF West
Point, and had been an officer In the
Mexican war. At the time, as Le is
YET, LIE was light. 1.-the, and graceful.
He was about So years old, and had
scarcely been off horse since he lett
West Point with Hancock in 1el4.
However, there was no harm in the
question, so, I asked him who of the
Generals was the best rider in the
army. "Well," said he, ~ hardly
know. Custer was splendid horse
man-fearless, graceful and dashing.
Gen. Farnsworth, Of Illinois, was
good rider. He would ride anything,
and was without fear. He was very
tall, and looked we'll on big horse.
Grant was good rider, though not
graceful one. Hancock rode very we'll.
He, Hooker, and Burnside were the
handsomest men on horseback ever
saw. They were all little too con-
spicuous, perhaps; but they were Ger.
tainly superb. Mcclellan looked we'll
on horseback if he didn't ride too large
d horse. You know he. is built some
what like the first Napoleon-long body
and short legs. Hancock is little that
way, too
"Who, of the Generals, was the
worst rider p "Oh, that's hardly fair
aud nobody could answer that question
any more than the other. General
Meade was poor horseman; for in
stance, he rode with martingales and
was careful always to have a steady
horse, while some of us younger officers
were glad to get the most vicious and
fiery horses we could find. 1t was by
many regarded as something worth
Dragging of to have horse that would
kick and bite everybody but his owner.
often rode with General Meade and
often annoye ed him by jumping fences,
logs, bitches and what not, instead OF
going round them. Well, he was not
as young "a was by twelve or fifteen
years, and he was very near-sighted.
which was of itself suScient reason
for prudence. After all." continued
General Pleasonton, thinking moment
horses are much like men. There
are men who, without being towards,
have not the nerve to 60 into battle.
Every who has been in battle will
tell you that. 1t is so with some horses.
They haven't the nerve to go into fight,
have seen horses that would 60
through anything to get away from 3
battlefield. They would commit sui
eide by jumping down precipice or
before locomotive. But to come back
to the starting, q horse can stand
good deal Of hard work and small for
age il he is vel. taken care of. Not
half the people VINO nave fortunes in
vested in horses know how to take care
Of them. They never stop to think
what is the sensible thing to do. A
horse 10 Just like man or watch. IT
| you take care OF him he will last you q
long time. Bat you can spoil him very
easily. Give the most valuable horse in
the world to fool, who is incapable OF
loving him, and he will spoil him in a
day. - Warrington Cor. Philadelphia
Times.