Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-05
GEN. GRANT AND HIS HORSES!
"reminiscences by Coachman Hawkins.
Two Famous Steeds. /,

GEN.. GRAN1 N HtS
"reminiscences by oachman Hawkins-'
Two Famous Stceds.
Every one who knows General Grant
Is aware that he has always been an
admirer of thoroughbred horses. When
he first entered the White House as
President of the United States, he
owned over a hundred head of horses,
which he kept at his farm near ST.
Louis. The foreman of the stables in
which these horses were kept was Al-
bert Hawkins, who is now coachman
for President Cleveland. No one knows
better than Albert how devoted General
Grant was to horses, and some of his
"reminiscences on the subject of General
Grant and his stock may not prove un-
interesting reading at this time. Albert
has been public characterlong enough
to know when and how to talk to
newspaper reporters. Just at this
time it is a difficult matter to obtain.
any information at the White House,
from the President down to the stable
hands. AS General Grant is just now
uppermost in the thoughts of the people
of the whole world, Albert no doubt:
felt that he was at liberty to join in the,
discussion concerning his "old boss,",
as he terms General Grant. Albert
saws General Grant was an excellent
Judge of horsetlesh. 1t was a difficult;
matter to deceive him in a horse trade,
because he is familiar with all the.
no;,%o &bat wv oopc;Ioro6 ~ o~o~-,
lining them. He could look into q
horses mouth and tell his exact age
within a few months. He always,
insisted that his horses should;
never be i'll used, either in or out
of the stable. They were given the
best kind of feed, furnished with large,
comfortable stalls and regularly exer-I
cised. Any man who Was known to;
i'll treat or misuse one of his horses was
Immediately dismissed. The General
took a fancy to Albert because he was
always kind and gentle in dealing with
the stock under his charge. After the
General became President he sold many
of his horses in St. Louis, and directed
Albert to come to Washington, and he1
attributes all his good fortune and con-
tinuous employment to the fact that
The never i'll used a dumb beast. The
Generals favorite horses were Cincin-
natl, Egypt and JEFF Davis. The for
mer was as gentle as a lamb, and he
knew and obeyed the General at all
times and under all circumstances.
Cincinnati vas a good saddle horse, in
harness. The General could ride him
to any point in the city, jump off his
back and leave him unhitched for any
length of time. No matter how long
the General remained away, when he
returned Cincinnati was there waiting
for him. He did not pay any attention
to circus parades, and was not to be
frightened by noise and confusion on
the street. When the General directed
him to stand and wait for him, Cincin-
natl would not bulge till the General
had mounted him. During the Cen
erals second term in the White House,
arrangements were made for an eques-
trian statue representing Grant
mounted on his favorite war horse
Cincinnati. Albert says he can not
remember the name of the sculptor,
but he r%ecollects the circumstances.
Every day for nearly a month the
General would go down to the stable,
have the bride and saddle put on Gin
%cinnati, and off he would 60 to meet
the sculptor. On several occasions
Albert accompanied him to a beautiful
spot in the vicinity of the Soldiers
Home, where the cast was made, and
General Grant frequently visited the
Presidential stables, went into the
stalls and talked to his horses Just as
though they were human beings and
were capable of understanding every
word he said to them. The JEFF Davis
horse vas a terrible kicker and bitter
and the stable hands were afraid to 90
lei his stall. His feed had to be
passed in to him from an adjoining
stall. The General, however, had
complete control over him, and he
could enter his stall, handle him as he
desired, and, in fact, do anything he
wanted with him. Old jeff knew his
voice, for as soon as the General en-
tered the stable he would throw back
his ars and move around restlessly in
his stall until the General showed him
some attention. On several occasions
the stable hands tried to deceive jeff
by initiating the Generals voice, but
as soon as he discovered the deception
he made his heels play a lively tune on
the side of his stall. Albert has re-
manned at the White HOnse durinu tho