The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21
A WAR HORSE.
rhe Black Stallion Owned b,
a Federal Captain.

The Black Stallion Owned b.
a Federal Captain.
How the Steed's Uapture Made the Con
federaey Much Trouble,
An ext Confederate tells the following
war story in the Detroit Free Press !: tIi
one of the early cavalry engagement
around Brandy Station the squadron t.
which I was attached captured a FEEDER
Il Captain who belonged, il I remembel
light, to a command called the Harri
Light Cavalry. We got several othe
prisoners at the same time, but the in
sident would not be worth mention ex
,ept the fact that we captured with tn,
Captain a horse destined to make
she Southern Confederacy considerable
trouble. He was a powerful black
stallion, and had been purchased
If a Maryland farmer on account of hi
beauty, action and endurance. The pur.
chaser knew that. the beast had an evi
temper, but he depended on army lift
20 cure him.
The Captain, having been fairly cap
Mred in armed conflict, could only ex-
pect honorable treatment, but he did
feel awfully cut up at losing that horse.
He claimed to be the only man who had
succeeded in riding, IF who could con.
rol his outbreaks of temper, and be
warned us to look out for deviltry. Our
Captain appropriated the beast for his
own use, but it was only a day or two
before he discovered that he had a Tar
Tar on his hands. His orderly attempt
I'd to saddle the horse, and was seized
md shaken about until he was laid up
Tor a month. Then three soldiers tried
t, and one had a leg broken by a kick
and the others abandoned the job. The
oeast was chuck full of old Satan, and
IN the night of the day he laid out the
Two men he broke loose from the feed
inc and disabled three horses before he
could be secured.
The captain was advised to relinquish
MS prize TO the artillery, but he refused.
A more perfect horse you never saw, and
,ne could tell by the look of him that
ne had all the speed that a reckless
;ider could ask for, and all the bottom
needed for long marches. He was
starved for two or three days, and this
process seemed to work a cure. He be-
came good-natured and gentle, and dur
ng the next ten days was humble as any
oeast bestrode by o private. Then,
early ole morning we got the call of
shoots and saddles and made a skip of
zen m les to head off a party Of Federal
faiders. Our battery took position on a
nil the highway led over, and we deploy-
I'd to right and left to support it. The
enemy were not going back without a
light. They planted their guns and
got to work, and their cavalry filed into
the field to test our metal.
Whether it was the firing, the sight of
the Yankee iar, OF because his term of
good behavior was ended I know not,
but that black horse suddenly began his
antics. The Captain could stick to the
saddle, but could not control him. The
beast plunged in and out of our lines,
pushing oye horses and destroying our
alignment, and then mat 3 a rush on our
guns. Isaw him jump over two of the
pieces with my own eyes, and / learned
afterwards that he severely injured three
Of the artllerists. For five minutes he
prevented the use of two of the pieces,
and during this time the Federals were
pounding us hot and heavy. The horse
finally reared, fell back on the Captain
and crushed him to q jelly, and then
sprang up and rushed for our left wing.
Half a dozen disrnounted men tried to
catch hin, and when they failed We
opened on him with our revolyers. Out
Of Fifty shots n or two bullets raked
him, and then he soas mad. He rushed
into our ranks with open mouth. biting,
striking and kicking, and just when we
were in a hubhub the Federals charged
us. We were licked inside of three
minutes, and but for the way the other
wing and the battery held on every one
Of us would have been gobbled. AS it
was we lost five. killed, seven wounded
and thirteen taken prisoners, and were
thankful to get off with those results.
The Federals got the black horse as well,
and some Of the men who were taken
prisoners afterwards told methat the ami
NAL Quoted right down as soon as he
saw the blue uniforms about him.
The Language OF the Ta'ain.
To sit on one seat and put your feet on
another signifies, 81 am not accustomed