, 1888-03-04
A TEAM.
A Group OF Sir Army Mules and Their
Experience During the Civn War.

Experience During the Civil War.
From an account given by Mr.. Harvey
Riley, formerly in charge of the quarter
masters depot at Washington, we nre
enabled to give a sketch Of one remark
able team: Early in the spring Of 1861, a
certain group Of six met officially as COM
rades. They had been associated occa-
sionally before IN the somewhat mixed
society of the quartermaster's corral, but
now they were regularly mustered into
the service of the United States by Capt,
afterward Gen., Sawtelle, and were
hitched up together for the first time ut
Berryville, Nd; and one Edward Wesley
Williams, n colored teamster, united his
fortunes with theirs. He was a good
teamster, and ut once established those
amicable and confidential relations with
his animals which are of the highest con-
sequence to the successful negro driver.
His trace chains were never so short that
the singletrees banged about the wheelers'
heels. His bits were always of the regu-
lation size, seven eighths inches round,
and full five inches between the rings.
His broad harness straps were always
properly adjnsted, so that there should be
no reasonable ground for the laying back
OF ears or the letting fly of heels.
The authorities deemed It important
that Williams and his mules should be in
Washington on the day of Lincoln's in
auguration, and they started for the ma
tional capital on March l, but history fails
to record tho exact date of their arrival.
Innsmuch as the ceremonies passed of
successfully, and without interference
from tho confederates, we may infer TINT
tho whole six added the music OF their
voices to the cheers that went up from In
front of the Capitol on That memorable
occasion. They remained on duty In md
about the defenses of Washington until
May II, 1862, when they were transferred
to Fortress Monroe, md reported to Gen.
Mcclellan, or his lawful representatives.
They marched up the Peninsula, particl
pated in the siege of Yorktown, the battle
of Williamsburg, and tho arduous mud
marches of the Chickahominy. At thu
seven days fight all six were present for
duty, and, with indiscriminate efficiency,
hauled army supplies or CHASTITY loads OF
dead and wounded, until they reached
Harrison's Landing with the Army OF the
Potomac. Thence Williams drove back
to Fort Monroe, and was shipped to
Washington with his team In time to haul
ammunition out to Manassas Junction,
md take part in what nm Irish soldier lad
called "our annual batting Mt Bull Run"
They saw the tables turned ut Antietam,
and turned back again at fredericksburg,
where they were in the ammunition train.
Under Gen. Hooker, the team followed
the fortunes of war through the Chancel-
louisville and Chantilly campaigns, and
was with Grant in front of Petersburg.
But there, sad TO relate, the faithful
saddle mule, on whose back Williams hal
ridden so many weary miles, was killed
by artillery fire from the enemy's works.
Her surviving comrades bore up under
this nfiliction and admitted n new incum
bent, with their usual grace. The intro
duction of O stranger was not permitted
10 interfere with regular duties. and tho
team worked right along until the fall of
Richmond.
In Junc following 1865, hostilities hal
ceased, and the team WA ordered back to
Washington, where it was transferred
back to the regular army, and was on
duty Herewith in August, 1860. There
Is no evidence forthcoming to show that
tho faithful WilliamJ Is not still cracking
his black snake over the backs of his
historic team ut some remote frontier
post; but, in tho nature OF things, h
four footed members of tho association
must long since have been honorably 70
tired, or perhaps shot, fox such Is the
Inerciful method of dealing with the super
ANIMATED government mule.
Mono of these animals WINS moro than
fourteen and n hnlf hands high, nor
weighed moro thnn 900 pounds. They
frequently went without hny or grain for
four or five days, subslsting on wayside
groupings; and several times they were
without water for twcnty-four hours
Adrian ReSford in American Magazine.