Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-02-21
A FAITHFUL STEED.
story of a Little Mare That Carried
Her owner Through the war-Dy-
Ing ofOIdAge.
Courier journal.


Ing ofOIdAge.
Courier Journal
''She was the oldest mare or record,
and the scenes she went through and
the sights she saw would fill twenty
volumes as interesting as any novel. "
said Mr. JOHN Whallen to little
group of friends yesterday and then
while the crowd listened Mr.. Whal-
len went on to tell the story of the
old mare.
II ran off to join the confederate
army when l was thirteen years old,
and found myself astride little dark
mare fourteen and a half hands high,
with white spo on her forehead.
She was raised by Salmon Abbott.
No, you needn't ask me any of the
particulars of the way got her, and
Salmon Abbott and have laughed
over all that since. | lound Morgan,
and for three years and seven months
that little bay mare and myself never
parted company. During a great
part of the time / was a courier for
Morgan, and many a wild ride | had
over the mountains of Virginia and
Kentucky, and many scene of dan
ger did the little marc pull me through.
fought with her through the battle
of Chicamauga she carried me
through both raids in Kentucky,
through both battles of Saltville,
through the battle of Marion, through
the fight at Bulls Gap and Mount
Sterling, and | road on her back safe
ly through the raid in Ohio. She
saved my life at the rout at Winches-
ter had her hitched in the little al
ley at Greenville, Tenn, when Gen.
Morgan was killed. saw the killing
and escaped in the confusion. No,
sir, don't care to talk of Gen. Nor
gan's death. 1t has been talked about
too much already. manned her after
a lady, Maggie Locust, who used to
come out in the woods to us, and who
gave me new suit of clothes and
other things. | never would have es-
capped the slaughter at Winchester
had it not been for her. She was
with me three years and seven months
when we separated.
"Once we came near parting,
nearer than | have ever come to part
with anything in this world before or
since, and nearer than | ever want
to come again. Bart Jenkins was our
captain, and was taken sick in Rush
land, Tazewell county, Va, at the
house of an old gentleman named Gil
lespie A Gang of bloodthirsty bush
whackers heard of his illness and
came up to capture him and his men.
They offered free pardon to all but
old Bart against whom they seemed
to entertain particular enmlty.
" Boys, you have heard what they
want said Bart, I am gong to give
them the best I've got in the shop the
rest of you had better skin out.
told him ] would stay with him, and
the rest got away. Well, we went up
into the attic of old Giliespie's house.
There was diamond-shaped opening
in it, and out of this Bart determined
to shoot. / loaded the guns for him.
At length we shot off every pistol and
gun we had, and the other side seemed
to have done the same thing. There
had been no shooting going on for
several minutes, when Gillespie's
daughter came up and handed me q
double barreled shotgun that had not
been discharged for years. There was
little group of the enemy standing
under a ahead not a great distance
away, and | aimed the gun at them
and pulled both triggers. There was
terrific explosion, and for about
minute was stunned. When | came
to my senses | found the enemy gone,
and | got on the back of Maggie and
went to kindlier quarters | found
we had killed six men and wounded
eleven.
Maggie and 1 separated when /
surrendered. never saw her from
that time till 1875, when | saw a
negro taking her over the New Al
bany ferry. | identified her instant
ly by my initials branded ON her flank.
You never saw more over]oyed
horse in your life. She recognized
me Immediately. lnever saw a horse
that had more sense.
There was an exhibition going on
at Lyon garden on the 4th of July,
1879, and there was some shooting
being done On the stage. Maggie was
out there, and when she heard the
artillery she broke out of her stall
and rushed up on the stage. As soon
as she saw it was all in fun she came
back disguised and drank bucket of
water.
For the last six months she has
been very deaf. She was over 35
years old, and her faculties were
deserving ker l had her out at old
man Miller's place, and learned this
morsing that she was dead. She
died of old age l made a contract
with DIR. Wycourt to have her wired
and pat up in a room in my house,
where there will be nothing else, and
there shall stay as long as | live or
have roof over my own head.